Winter Break
by Joy1
Summary: Pairing:HL. Over the winter break our favorite best friends take a break from the drama of their lives. That however does not sit well with Nathan.
1. Southern Gentleman

Title: Southern Gentleman 

Name: Joy 

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG 13

Pairing: LH

A/N: This is my first One Tree Hill. I picked up watching this show a bit late so I may not get all the history perfect so don't kill me over it okay. I'm not sold on Laley stories but I don't like Nathan much so I don't do Naley stories. I have a Lucas and an original character story that is sitting on the shelf cause ya'll don't read stories with OC's with main characters. Oh well…

  
1.

He never saw himself as a Southern, not in the classic sense. Most of the people around him didn't have accents or behave like 'hicks' so it just never really occurred to him. After all he was from NORTH Carolina. So why was this even on his mind? Haley... She said he was a southern gentleman.  


Christmas break was almost over but was looking to be extended due to an actual snowfall...besides just about everything in their little world had changed. Nathan and Haley had broken up during the holiday mainly because he was having passive-aggressive episodes daily. Nathan's parents were into the 'I hate you, you hate me' phase of things and Nathan was not taking it well. He desperately wanted to stay with his mom but his father had threatened to cut off all communications with him if he didn't live with his father. It screwed with Nathan's head to the point that Haley could see Stockholm's syndrome at work. One minute Nathan would be 'whatever you say Haley' then the next it was 'how the hell could you do this to me!' The drama was too much and Haley bowed out. During one of Nathan's explosive episodes Haley turned to him and said, "And you wonder why I don't believe you when you say you love me."

Lucas himself opted out of the high drama in his world. He thought Brooke was cool but more than anything she was a distraction and he was using her. While she could live with that, he couldn't. Peyton had her own issues. She was too wealthy and pretty to leave her crowd and fit in with Lucas. She wanted to but not bad enough to risk the ridicule.  


This had left Lucas and Haley plenty of time to vegetate and talk. The more they talked and played the more they realized what they had been missing. This was great for them but awkward for the others. There was a shindig coming up that Haley had planned to go to with Nathan, so an expensive dress was bought tailored for the event...and now no boyfriend. Haley's parents were less than understanding as to her lack of enthusiasm so she was still expected to attend. Parents are weird like that some times. Lucas immediately volunteered his services as date and protector for the evening. "You really are a southern gentleman...always ready to save the Bell of the Ball," Haley had commented.  
    And this is why Lucas Scott was sitting in his mother's dinner contemplating being Southern. He wondered if that was the reason him being a 'bastard' was such a wonderful put down...or maybe it was just that a rich guy like Dan Scott was bastard enough to treat him like trash so everyone else felt obligated to.  
  
    "So you're going with Haley to this..." Karen began.  
    "Uppity class warfare display...yes," Lucas replied.  
    "Well aren't we going into this with the right attitude?" she teased her son.  
    "I just...you were a cheerleader and part of that world... I don't get it," he said quietly.  
    Karen sat down beside him, "Honey...you don't need to." They stared at one another. "This is a small town. The have and the have nots are harder to identify than people think."  
    "I just hate the fact..."  
    "What?"  
    "I hate the fact that people can call me a bastard, know who my father is, and not see him as the scum of the earth for what he has done... I hate that people treat me like I am lower than low because of what he did," Lucas snapped.  
    "Lucas, people are idiots," his mother contended. "Lets get out of here."  
  
    Lucas thought for a moment, "Mom?"  
    "Yeah?"  
    "How difficult would it be for me to take your last name?"  
    Karen looked at him for a moment, "I don't know... But talk to Keith before you decide to get rid of your name. He has been the only father you've ever known."  
    Lucas thought, "How bout for my birthday I ask Keith to officially adopt me? No name change required. It can be Scott and Son towing."  
    "There's a thought."  
  
Tbc


	2. Separation Anxiety

Title: Separation anxiety 

Name: Joy 

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG 13 

2. 

Haley's house was dark when he got there but he knew she was home. He could feel her... It was weird but he could. Lucas let himself in and locked the door behind him. He found Haley asleep in front of the fireplace book in hand...The lion, the witch and the wardrobe. Lucas smiled, such a Haley book. He covered her in a blanket and made them some hot chocolate. 

Lucas was deeply engrossed in his own novel, when he heard a knock at the door. Through the window he could see it was Nathan. "Haley...Hales..." Lucas whispered softly, touching her shoulder. She lifted her head slightly. "Hey there sleeping beauty." 

"Hey. How long have I been asleep?" she mumbled. 

"A half an hour since I got here...Look Hales, Nathan is at the door knocking. What do you want me to do? Do you want to talk to him? I can make myself scarce." 

"I'm not awake enough to fight with him." 

"So you want me to tell him to call or what?" Lucas asked. 

Haley yawned and said, "I'm done talking. I want space." 

Lucas internally jumped for joy, "Okay Hales." 

Lucas rose and went to the door. He opened it slowly and attempted to be as civil as possible for Haley's sake. "Hey man." 

Nathan looked tired and taken aback, "Hey...What are you...never mind... I'm assuming Haley's home." 

"She is...she's asleep...umm...ya want to leave her a note or something?" Lucas offered. 

"Sure, got something to write on and with?" 

"Yeah..." Lucas got a tablet and pen. As he came back he noticed Nathan checking out his story but decided not to mention it. "Here." Nathan looked at him and the pad of paper. "Look if it makes you feel better you can watch me wake her up and give it to her." 

"Always the knight, huh?" Nathan commented ruefully. 

"She's my best friend," Lucas said solemnly. 

"And that doesn't change if I'm her boyfriend?" the rich boy asked. 

Lucas stared him dead in the face, "You aren't her boyfriend anymore, which you know. But if you make her happy I'll learn to adjust to you as the guy that treats Haley well, rather than the guy that hates my existence." The blonde paused for a moment then regarded his little brother, "The only thing is you don't make her happy. You make her cry and have insomnia. You yell at her in public and grovel back later... If she wants a break than let her have one until you can treat her well." 

"Like you?" 

"What?" Lucas asked. 

"Until I can treat her like you do?" Nathan answered. 

"I guess...I treat her like a best friend," Luke tried to qualify. 

"Look around you. You are alone in Haley's house." 

Lucas stared at his brother, "I have a key." 

"Figures," Nathan smirked. 

"What does that mean?" the blonde asked. 

"That means..." Nathan began with fury and then wore himself out. "I don't know what I mean... I just know you have everything I want and that sucks...I never have had to lack for anything and everything that has been important to me has gone to you and I hate you for it!" 

Lucas took a deep...deep breath, "Nathan, go home. There is nothing for you here right now." 

As he went to shut the door Nathan stopped it with his foot. "How do you do it, huh? How do you waltz in and take my place on the team, you take away my girl, and you never bow out when I put the nails to you? I humiliate, embarrass, harass, and kidnap you and you still come back. The one thing you had that was yours I took awayÉHaley. And damn if I didn't really start to like her. But now its you in front of the romantic fire with MY girl." 

"She's not your girl," Lucas growled. 

Nathan wasn't listening, "You have a key...A KEY... Just tell me! What do I have to do to make you go away? How much money can I get daddy to cough up to get you out of my life!" 

Lucas was shocked at the venom behind the words. He knew that Nathan hated him in a high school jealousy way but this was practically disdain. "Nathan...this is my life, my world. The only thing I did was join the team... upon request. I'm not dating Peyton. I never went out on a date with Peyton. I was nice to Peyton... something, if you recall you weren't, and you were her boyfriend..." He got a little closer to Nathan, "I don't back down because your father has taken enough from my family and I will not give you anymore. I will not roll over and die because you tell me to. I am a survivor and a survivor raised me. You don't get to have that much power over me... And as for Haley, I can know why you started spending time with her but I can't deny you have feelings for her. It would take some kind of an idiot not to fall in love with her...she's that awesome. But you don't get to hurt her anymore...not when she's told me she doesn't want to talk anymore and not when you're this irrational." 

"So you admit it?!" Nathan snapped. 

"Admit what?" Lucas asked exasperated. 

"Admit that you are in love with Haley." 

"What?!" 

"You just said it would take some kind of idiot not to fall in love with her...so you are either in love with her or an idiot. Which is it?" Nathan demanded. 

Lucas was shocked. He hadn't thought about his words while he was speaking them. He had just said the words...in love. 

After too long a pause, "I knew it!" Nathan yelled apparently waking Haley from her slumber. 

Haley sleepily stumbled off the couch. "Nathan!" she fussed. "You kept me up all night arguing. I need some sleep. I need a break for the umpteen millionth time. SO just back off!" 

"Haley, he's trying to break us up...just like he did with Peyton," Nathan rationalized. 

That was when she laughed...really laughed, a heartfelt belly laugh. "Nathan, I broke up with you all on my own," Haley snipped. "Lucas could have pulled a 'if you love me, you'll never see him again' a long time ago and I would have been pissed but I would have agreed. Lucas has always had the ability to break us up if he wanted to. But he loves me and wants what's best for me...he wants me happy. Things you will never understand because the universe revolves around you and your father. Well guess what? Lucas was here before you were here, while you were here, and will be here after youÕre gone. So...get over it." She was in rare form angry and tired. "Now do yourself and the rest of the world a favor and chose to live with your mom. Maybe she can deprogram you enough that the Spawn of Satan will not have successfully created a clone!" And with that Haley stormed into the kitchen. 

The Scott brothers were both stunned. "Ah...um...sorry about that. She gets really cranky when she's tired. She really didn't mean the last part," Lucas tried to sooth. 

"Why do you care?" Nathan said pissed. 

"This is me trying to be nice, okay...Life sucks for you right now and I know it. I'm trying here!" Lucas snapped back. Nathan grit his teeth. "She's right though. You should live with your mom. She's really awesome." 

Nathan looked at him queerly, "You...you like my mom?" 

"Yeah...I mean what she did for my mom is amazing...I can't ever thank her enough. She is the only one of the five of us that can be on all sides...support all of us." 

"She's not supporting dad anymore," Nathan sulked. 

Lucas swallowed and took his life in his own hands, "But you'll be free." Nathan stared at him again. "You play because you love it, you have the talent, and its who you are...not because daddy said so, or the scouts, or its what's expected. It becomes yours and not his." 

There was a tense moment where there was peace between them. "Don't expect me to be your friend," Nathan commented. 

"Oh noÉthat would be too much to ask," Lucas said with a smirk. "We'll work on being tolerable to one another when you and Haley work things out." Nathan laughed at that. "Why is that funny?" 

"Lucas, why would she want to wait around for one Scott brother to get his act together, when she already has a Scott who is everything she could want?" Nathan left Lucas stunned in the doorway as he walked away. 

Tbc 


	3. Over

Title: Over 

Name: Joy 

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG 13  
  
3.  
    Lucas shut the door and sat on the steps for a minute and ran over different parts of his latest interaction with his 'little brother'. He had said 'in love.' That pressed upon his mind. He thought about the break and how he had been feeling. He thought about how much time he and Haley had spent together and how right it felt.  
  
    Lucas found Haley with a sour face in the kitchen nuking her cold hot chocolate. He knew that if they were kids she would have been pouting and sucking her thumb. "Hales... he's gone."  
    Haley was angry, "I know...stupid...boy...person..."

Lucas chuckled and pulled her too himself, "You're going to be okay. Nathan will get it together."  
    "We are broken up…and after last night I don't care."  
    "What happened?" Luke asked grabbing her coco and settling them in front of the fire again.  
    "He's just an idiot...He tried to convince me that if I just didn't spend time with you anymore than he would be less stressed. He said that if I wouldn't pick fights with him then he wouldn't yell at me in public. Suddenly it was like it all clicked into place."  
    "What clicked Haley?" Lucas asked.  
    "I didn't tell you this okay?"  
    He nodded, "Okay."  
    Haley blew her hair out of her face and said, "Deb and I would talk at the café a lot and she would let little things slip. Interactions she and Dan had, fights, arguments. It's not like she was looking for my opinion just a safe place to sound off. One of her biggest complaints was how Dan insisted if she would only change or if she wouldn't provoked him then they wouldn't fight." Haley ran her hand through her hair, "I was the same crap...Nathan does the same thing... I don't want to end up married to Satan."  
  
    Lucas chuckled, drew Haley to himself and soon laid them both down on the couch so that Haley's head fit on his chest. She wrapped one arm around him and hugged him before looking up at him. "My Lucas...I not share...My Lucas," Haley said in her best three year old voice as she squeezed him all the tighter.  
    Now Lucas did laugh out, "That's right. Your Lucas." He traced his fingers up her cheek to get her to look at him. "And you don't have to share…and by the way it was me having to share you." Lucas let his fingers continue to trace Haley's cheek as they stared at one another.  
  
    Haley was getting warm. Her cheeks were burning she was sure. Lucas didn't seem to notice. He just repetitively stroked her back and brushed his fingertips along her skin. Haley swallowed looking down briefly before looking back up with a new vulnerability. Lucas appeared un-phased by the situation. It was as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to cuddle her in such a manor.  
    The thought struck Haley hard. Natural. It did feel natural. With Nathan it was all butterflies in the stomach and short breath. This felt different but still nice...real. It felt real. Nathan always felt 'out of her league' with him, not cause he was better than her but everyone would always be looking at her like he was. Lucas it was like she belonged with her head on his chest while he comforted her. They may not always agree but he never...ever treated her badly.  
    Haley shifted a little closer to Lucas, which was pretty hard since she was practically lying on top of him. She decided to stop thinking. Nathan knew they were broken up. She could have a minor emotional breakdown...or even... she didn't know. All that mattered was she was with Lucas and he loved her. She knew it in her soul. Lucas Scott loved her and would do anything, even put up with Nathan, so he wouldn't lose her. The only thing Nathan was willing to risk was reputation and that was just pitiful. Haley breathed deep the smell of Lucas and knew she was where she was supposed to be.  
  
    Lucas gazed down at Haley as she snuggled into his chest with a happy smile and closed eyes. He stroked her back and cheek. He rhythmically ran his fingers through her hair and enjoyed being this close. Lucas couldn't imagine doing this with either Brooke or Peyton. Only Haley belonged in his arms like this... The thought stuck and his hands faltered. Haley grunted,  
    "Hey...don't stop. I liked that."  
    "Sure," he murmured and mechanically began to play with her hair again. What was going on in his brain? Haley was a friend. She was with Nathan... Actually she wasn't. But she liked Nathan...only she had just called him Satan. Maybe she didn't really like him anymore. "Hales?"  
    "Hmmm?"  
    "Do...do you think..."  
    "What, Luke?"  
    Lucas looked at Haley sweetly and ran his fingers through her hair with her gazing at him. "Do you think...you and Nathan will be getting back together?" He tried not to show the nervousness in his face and just kept playing with her hair.  
  
    Haley didn't know what to make of the look in Lucas's eyes or the warmth she felt in her own body. She put that aside and answered her best friend. "I don't actually. I don't think I trust him. I don't trust him with you and I don't trust him to do the right thing...so even if on occasion he shows potential...I don't want to be with someone I don't trust."  
    Lucas pulled her back down and settled her on his chest again before kissing the top of her head. "Thank you," he whispered.  
    "For what?" she asked pretending to pick lint off his shirt.  
    "Loving me," he said and this time kissed her cheek.  
  
Tbc


	4. A Real Date

Title: A Real Date

Name: Joy 

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG 13

A/N: I'm having formatting problems so forgive me if the text doesn't come out quite right. I'm working to correct it.

4.

For a few minutes Lucas and Haley just held each other and looked at the fire. "This is nice," Haley murmured.

"Yeah," Lucas replied marveling at the dawning realization that his feelings were more than best friend like... and judging by the physical contact it was highly possible Haley might feel the same. Her hand rubbed lazy circles over his heart and he wondered if she could feel his heart rate speed. 

He gazed down at the top of her head with affection and nervousness. Haley's fingers continued to dance over the material of his shirt and he felt afraid that he was a substitute for someone else. "Haley?"

"Yes piglet?" she said without looking up.

"That's my line," Lucas said with a laugh. Haley always liked kids stories so she knew most of Winnie the Pooh word for word. There was a cute part in one of the books (Lucas couldn't remember which one) where Piglet turned to Pooh Bear and says, 'Pooh'. And Pooh Bear responds 'Yes piglet?' And Piglet says, 'Oh nothing. I just wanted to be sure of you.' Haley's response was normally his since normal he was Pooh Bear and she was piglet...since he wasn't very smart and she wasn't very brave...at least that's what they used to say. 

Her eyes met his in that big innocent way her face seemed to open up to him whenever he looked at her. "I just wondered about the ball," Lucas began.

"What about it?" Haley asked.

He shrugged, "I shouldn't have jumped right in like that. If you want to go with someone else I'll understand."

Haley pulled away sitting up, her hair pulling off of his sweatshirt slowly. "You don't want to go with me?" she said with a frightened almost tearful look. 

Lucas sat up too and caught her cheek with his hand caressing it with his thumb. "No...no...of course I want to go with you... I just thought maybe I had overstepped my bounds or maybe you might like someone just a little bit and might want an excuse to go for it..." Lucas swallowed before saying; "I would hate to make you regret spending a romantic type night...with me." He looked down when he said the words softly.

Haley hadn't a clue how to handle things. It seemed that she and Lucas were on a precipice and it was a freefall in either direction. "I don't understand. I could never regret spending an evening with you."

"Even one where I'll be the one holding you and dancing with you...not someone else...not Nathan."

There was a weird spirally feeling in the back of Haley's head as she tried to put to words concepts she wasn't totally ready to explore yet. "I was really enjoying being held by you a few minutes ago..." she murmured laying them back in their former position except now she rested her chin on his chest and watched him. "I guess we could practice dancing together." 

Haley could see the nervous look in Luke's eye...He wanted the romantic evening. She was sure of it. But did she? Lucas was waiting for her to say something else or was working up the courage to say something himself...she wasn't sure. But when he licked his lips unconsciously, the warm sensation she always associated with liking a guy spread throughout her body and she became fascinated watching his mouth. "Truthfully," she began anew, "I can't think of a single person I would rather go with..." Haley steeled herself against the unbridled fear she had over the impact her next words would have; "and...ah...not just for comfortablity sake."

"Really?" Haley could hear the hope in his voice.

"Really." She turned her head back to resting on its side again and playing with his sweatshirt strings this time.

"Is comfortablity even a word?" he asked stroking her long dark hair.

"In my dictionary it is," she responded.

After a few moments the blonde basketball player needed to clarify things in his own mind. "So does this mean I have a real date with Haley James?" Lucas asked only half kidding.

"Yeah," she didn't even try to play it off. If Lucas wanted a real date with her, she would not object.

Tbc


	5. Sleeping Beauty

Title: Sleeping Beauty

Name: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG 13

A/N: I think I have all the formatting issues solved so go back and read Chapter 4. It should be fixed. 

5.

Haley began to wake from a wonderful dream where Lucas and she were sharing a sweet kiss, only to realize they actually were. Lucas was brushing his lips over hers gently as she opened her eyes. "You really are Sleeping Beauty," he whispered huskily. 

"Woken with a kiss," she murmured back.

"Yeah."

Lucas had woken from their nap holding Haley protectively to him and for a while he just stared. He began to map her face with his eyes. As he concentrated on her lips he unconsciously leaned into them until they pressed together. Haley began to wake slowly under his attention. Instead of pretending it never happened Lucas kept up the light pressure. 

The teenagers stared at each other for a long time. Lucas started to get nervous because he could tell Haley was nervous. He leaned away from her a bit, dislodging her stance. "Did... Did you not want me to do that?" Lucas asked quietly.

"Nonoonononono... I was just surprised," Haley answered.

Lucas sat up completely, "But not a good surprise obviously." He began to lean away from Haley who was sitting up as well. 

When he started to slip on his shoes Haley panicked, "You're leaving!?"

He slid one foot home and shrugged, "Might be best to give you some space...I don't want to ruin our friendship. You mean too much to me...and if we aren't on the same page then I need a little time to..."

Haley caught his face between her hands and made Lucas look at her. "We are on the same page...I'm just reading slower than you, okay?" He looked at her confusedly. She sighed dropping her hands, "I don't think you understand what it would mean if this didn't work out...if we couldn't be best friends anymore? I've got a lot more to lose than you do Luke."

Lucas's eyes lit with fire as his anger got to him; "Like hell you do!" He stood before her and paced stopping occasionally before saying, "You're it Haley. You are everything that matters to me in this world. I have Mom, Keith, basketball and you. That's it. Right now I would be willing to give up basketball if you could assure me that I would always have you." Lucas began to pace again before stopping directly in front of Haley, "I don't have a lot Hales. I know that. I can't give you the things Nathan could. I can't take you to fancy restaurants... and don't interrupt...I know that doesn't matter to you...but...it matters to me."

Lucas dry washed his face and looked at his best friend, "I would trade a hundred Peyton's completely in love with me, and ten thousand Brook's in my backseat naked if I got you. I know how precious you are...but I don't want to start down this road at all if you are going to bail on me like Peyton did. I did feel the pain of it, sure...but you doing that to me would destroy me...We are so much more than the stupid drama we have been living in since they took over our lives...and I need to know if you want this or not."

Haley stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck as he naturally wrapped his arms about her waist, "I'm not bailing on you. I'm not...its just..." She pulled away and looked at Lucas, one hand at the nape of his neck, one hand laid flat over his heart, "I got kissed by my best friend just waking up from a nap. Not all faculties were there yet. If I had known you were going to freak out like this over a moment's hesitation I would have just..." Haley leaned in and kissed him. She felt his heart speed up and pound beneath her fingers. She drew back and smiled at the tiny smile appearing on Luke's lips. She leaned their foreheads together, "We want the same thing...I just need you to slow up a beat, okay?"

Lucas looked shamefaced, "Yeah."

"Alright then." Haley slid her arm back up around Lucas's neck and held him close. She stood on tiptoes to fit her head on his shoulder. 

After long moments of silence it suddenly occurred to Lucas what a colossal insecure mass he had just become. He had just accused Haley of being like Peyton. He berate himself in his own mind over his stupidity, of not seeing that the insane jealousy and hurt he felt over Haley tutoring Nathan as an indicator that his relationship with Haley had gone way beyond the friendship mark. And then it was as simply as what he had said to Nathan earlier that evening...you have to be some kind of idiot not to fall in love with this girl. 

Lucas wrapped his arms tighter about Haley's waist as he buried his face in her shoulder. "e uv ew Hawee," he mumbled against her skin.

Haley blinked rapidly processing the murmured declaration that still tingled against her throat. She pulled her head up and attempted to go flat footed again so she could look at Lucas, but he only held her tighter burying his face all the more. 

"Lucas?" she said quietly rubbing his shoulders with her hands. "Lucas, look at me." He just continued to hide his face and shook his head no. "Lucas...Honey...look at me...please." 

"Honey?" he asked loosening his grip but still avoiding eye contact. 

"Got your attention, didn't it." Haley couldn't see his features in the dark but she just looked straight up in his face even though she could sense he was not looking at her. "What are you afraid of? That I don't love you back? You know that's not true." His gaze fell on her upturned wide-eyed gaze despite the fact she could not see his features clearly. She knew he was now looking at her. "Do you need to hear the words?" She was waiting for an answer. He had to admit he needed this to her. She needed to know they were really having this conversation...with all its ramifications. 

"Yes...I need to hear you say it," he admitted.

Haley pushed herself up and kissed Lucas gently then met his eyes. "I love you." She stared deeply in his blue pools. "Now mine was more honest than yours...I faced you. You mumbled it and hid." 

Lucas didn't know what to say to that. 

Haley stepped away from him for a minute and turned put on some music. "Dance with me?" she whispered and wrapped her arms around his neck. When he just stood there, she dropped her arms and drew each of his hands to her lower back. 

It struck Lucas how very sensual her movements were...slow and rhythmic. Her hands slid up each of his arms and met behind his head again. She swayed her hips under his hands and he knew...he knew what he had always known...they fit. Peyton was an attractive distraction and Brooke was a temptress...but Haley was it. Haley was everything. 

Lucas just gazed at her unblinking, unspeaking, for a long time trying to put all of his thoughts together. At that moment he understood why his mother would have believed she and Dan could have had a future together, because at this moment he believed that he and Haley could. No one meets their soul mate at 10, right? What a line...good movie. Sweet Home Alabama... But they didn't fight. They never had...never would. 

Haley's eyes found Lucas's with a complete honesty he marveled at. "I love you Haley," he said with no hesitation. "I love you so much...I'm sorry it took me so long to get here."

One of her hands stayed at the back of his neck scratching the hairs at the nape while the other came to hold his cheek. "I'm sorry I tried to date the wrong Scott brother. It won't happen again," she stated before laying her head on his chest and continuing to dance. 

Tbc

Warning: Next chapter is when the angst part kicks in big time. So be prepared. I have had people in the past get very snippy with me over my abrupt angst twists...Nothing gory of anything just a bit jacked. This is my first non-Science Fiction series I am writing for so it's not as harsh as some others I've done. 

I long ago realized that when I try to rewrite a chapter so something bad doesn't happen and it just keeps popping up, the incident is supposed to be there. I would blame it on my muse but I don't know how a non- Sci-Fi crowd would take that. 

REVIEW PLEASE!


	6. Mistletoe mishap

Title: Mistletoe mishap 

Name: Joy 

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG 13 

A/N: Okay I have no idea about Haley's address, parents' or siblings names so I am taking liberties from here out on things. 

A/N2: Nothing moves this fast so I know it is impossible the way I wrote it but just go with it please. 

6. 

It was very late at night that snowy day...or very early in the morning. From outside the James home two figures were dancing, illuminated by only the fire next to them. The silent observer had to admit they were a striking couple, at ease with each other in manner...and they looked...happy. 

"Look up," Haley whispered as she and Lucas danced in front of the hearth. He followed her upward pointed finger and gaze to the mistletoe hanging over their heads. She shrugged slightly, "It's tradition." Lucas smirked and watched in wonder as Haley leaned in to kiss him. Their lips met for a second before staring into each other's eyes for a beat and then met again more intensely. For a moment it was perfect. Lucas was holding his best friend and love in his arms kissing her sweetly with all the emotions he could muster. 

The kiss, however, was cut short by a loud crash of the breaking glass next to them. Haley turned toward the noise then made a small pained sound and started to fall before Lucas put together what had happened. A small tickle of blood appeared at the brim of her head, as her eyes lay closed. 

"Haley!" Lucas screamed as her body fell away from him and he didn't have time to catch her before she hit the ground knocking her head again. "Haley...come on baby...look at me. Open your eyes." He shifted her gently and then ran for the phone. 

"911...what is your emergency?" 

"I'm at my girlfriend's and someone just broke her window with a rock. It hit her in the head...She's bleeding and won't wake up." 

"Is she breathing?" 

Lucas touched Haley's face reverently, "Yes." 

"One moment...I have your location. 1630 Wilmington Drive, the James residence, correct?" 

"Right." 

"We're sending police and an ambulance over immediately," the operator said. "Are you on a cordless phone?" 

"Yes." 

"Go to your girlfriend and keep talking to her... What's your name?" 

"Lucas Scott...It's Haley James that's hurt," he explained. 

The operator paused, "Are you hurt Lucas?" 

"I don't know," he paused thinking it over. His face stung below his eyes. Luke touched his cheek, which was wet with blood. He ran his finger along a long cut. "The glass from the window must have cut me..." 

"Okay Luke...try to wake Haley...keep talking to her." 

"Haley! Haley...open your eyes...look at me..." Lucas insisted touching Haley's face gently. 

"Do you know who did this?" the operator asked. 

The question took Lucas by surprise. "I'm not sure...I could guess but I doubt he would ever hurt her," Lucas said weakly. 

"Who did this?" 

"I don't know for sure so I'm not going to guess." 

The operator sighed, "Don't touch anything...the ambulance is almost there." 

Lucas could hear the sirens in the distance but approaching at a fast speed. "Haley, can you hear...help is on the way... Come on, Hales! Wake up, Baby." 

"Lucas..." Haley whispered weakly. Her eyes flicked over his face briefly, "You're bleeding." 

"I'm okay...just keep your eyes open. Stay awake. Stay awake! Haley...Haley!" 

The operator said to Lucas, "Get the door Lucas. The EMT's will be there soon." 

Haley barely had her eyes open, "I saw...Nathan." The blood continued to trickle at her temple. 

Lucas touched her face lightly. "Haley, keep your eyes on me, okay? Don't look away." He went to the to the door and ran out to the street. Flagging down the paramedics Lucas led them to his injured love. "She's in here." 

"Haley..." Her eyes had closed. "Haley, look at me love." Lucas held her hand. "These are the paramedics they are going to..." Her eyes fluttered but remained closed. 

"What's the patient's name?" He turned to the EMT's, "Haley James." 

"Where are her parents?" one asked. 

"I'm not sure... With her oldest sister for the New Year." 

"You are?" 

"Lucas Scott." 

One paramedic looked at him queerly, "Dan Scott's son?" 

Lucas attempted not to glare, "By biology only...Look could we get going and get Haley awake please." 

The paramedic shook his head, "Haley...Haley...can you hear me? Open your eyes honey." 

Police arrived quickly asked questions and informed Lucas he would have to speak to a detective at some point. Soon another authoritative voice got louder. "This the boy?" the detective asked an officer. Lucas was faced with a large detective. "Gees...what in the hell happened here?" the deep southern voice hissed taking in all the glass on the floor. 

Lucas half shrugged, "Someone chucked a rock at the window. It broke the window and hit Haley in the head. The glass cut us both up." 

"Detective Williams," the man shook his hand. "And you are?" he asked. 

He rolled his eyes, "Lucas Scott." 

The man smiled, "Karen's son." 

"Right," he said in confusion. 

"Good boy...you used play ball with my son at the park. Still one of my nephew's best friends...Skills..." 

Lucas half smiled, "Skills gave me a 'Good Will Hunting' type speech to get me to play on the school team. He's a good friend." 

The detective nodded, "Sorry this happened, son. We'll canvas the area to find out if anyone saw anything. You go with your girl to the hospital and get yourself looked at okay?" he said pointing to his face. 

"Yes sir." 

The paramedics were nearly done with Haley when Lucas took the officer aside. "Sir, I maybe off base but ya might want to look into Nathan Scott for having done this." 

He gave Lucas a look; "You obviously have history there...This isn't just..." 

"No. Never mind...I don't know...he was angry...I don't know..." Lucas groaned. 

The officer nudged, "What happened son?" 

Lucas looked at him and sighed, "Nathan and Haley broke up recently. He came by earlier upset that he found me here...We...we were kissing under the mistletoe, right before we got hit...Haley woke up for a little while and said 'I saw Nathan.' Now she could be confused and she was referring to seeing him earlier...or she was trying to tell me he did this." 

"I'll keep it in mind." 

The paramedics called to Lucas, "Are you coming with us?" 

"Go on," the officer said. "We'll call your mother and track down Haley's parents." 

Lucas nodded and got into the ambulance. 

Tbc 

A/N: First off ambulances and police can only arrive that fast if they are in the neighborhood. Detectives never arrive that fast, I know, but I didn't feel like having Lucas answer police questions at the hospital if I didn't have to. 

PLEASE REVIEW!


	7. Calling Dad

Title: Calling dad

Name: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG 13

A/N: Personal note: I don't update everyday. I have a VERY stressful job with no time for anything really and I write to escape on my lunch hour if I'm lucky. I write short chapters now so I can post more often. I will sometimes post more than one chapter at a time but normally if one chapter is really short. I also try to write a few chapters ahead so my stories don't stall. (I have one or two stories on here that haven't been updated in a year.) Just some background. 

A/N2: STORY SPOILERS: For all of you so worried about Haley- she will wake but not until chapter 13. So no one bite their nails or freak or cry or get really upset that I am leaving her in this state. Comas and unconsciousness are a favorite of mine. And just cause she wakes up does not mean everything will be perfect. Life doesn't work that way- neither does television. 

On to the Story-

7.

Lucas stared at an unconscious Haley, her forehead bandaged, her scratches cleaned and mended. He picked up the phone and called Keith. Lucas knew he should have called his mom again, having left a message when he didn't get her, but he knew she was probably hysterical and ready to kill him. He found out earlier that when the police had contacted her Karen made some comment about castrating him for his own good. Keith was a minorly safer alternative at the moment.

"Lucas," Keith picked up panicked.

"It's me."

"Oh thank god. Where are you?"

Lucas looked at his resting love, "Obviously you haven't talked to mom."

"I couldn't reach her."

Lucas sighed, "I'm at the hospital."

"What did you do? Are you hurt? What did that girl get you to do now?"

The teen breathed deep, "I didn't do anything and I am mainly fine."

"What's mainly fine?" Keith asked.

"Couple of stitches on my cheek and bandaged scratches...but listen..."

Keith groaned, "What happened?"

Lucas hissed, "I'm trying to tell you...I was at Haley's and someone threw a rock at her window. It broke the glass causing my cuts. But the rock hit Haley in the head. She's out cold Keith. They can't revive her. They've tried smelling salts and other stuff... They say that her brain needs to rest...I'm really worried about her."

"Where are her parents?" Keith questioned.

"They are at her sister's. The police have gotten in touch with them...They are on their way home to be with her. One of her brothers may come home too. "

"Luke...did you see who did this?" his uncle asked.

"I didn't, but Keith..."

"What Luke?"

Lucas gazed on Haley's injured brow, "I think Nathan did this."

"Why? He would never hurt Haley," Keith contended.

"We were kinda..."

"Kinda what?"

Lucas dry washed his face, "Kissing."

He could hear his uncle's anger, "Nathan is her boyfriend Lucas. How could you do this?"

"Keith, they've been broken up for a while...a little while at least. She broke it off a few days ago. He came by earlier last evening. We argued about Haley...she argued with him. She made it more than plain that they weren't together anymore and she didn't want to talk about it anymore."

"So you think he came back?"

"I don't know...but it would make sense...There was a short period of time that Haley woke up the night of the accident. She said, 'I saw Nathan.' That's the main reason I think it was him."

Keith cursed under his breath; "I'll be there to get you soon."

"I'm not leaving her, Keith. I don't want her waking up alone. She hates hospitals...at least when she's the patient. Do me a favor and look in on mom please. She's really pissed off with me right now...at least that is the impression I got...which isn't fair since I didn't do anything." Lucas was silent for a moment, "I think she's afraid I'm turning into him." 

Keith sympathized with Lucas over the situation. Parents normally get angry when they're scared for their kids. He was angry too...what did that say. "Fine I'll keep watch over your mom. I'll even talk to her. Remind her that despite recent behavior (i.e. the tattoo that you are still grounded over) you are still her son, not his." 

Keith breathed deep and thought the situation over, "So does this mean you and Haley are dating?"

Lucas smiled a bit, "We agreed that the ball would be a real date...and...um...I told her I loved her."

"Woah..."

"Yeah."

Keith smiled to himself, "You guys are good together. Always have been."

"So are you and mom..." Keith had a slight coughing fit over the phone which made Lucas chuckle, "Hey, Keith?"

"Yeah?"

"What would you think of adopting me?"

Lucas laughed out when Keith started to sound like he was choking.

Tbc...

A/N: Next chapter is posted too, so no flames over length okay?

PLEASE REVIEW SEPARATELY FROM THE NEXT CHAPTER!


	8. Rumor Mill

Title: Rumor Mill

Name: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG 13

8.

One Tree Hill High School was a rush of students. Vacation was over, the snow had melted and it was back to the norm for the students. There were some whispers about the different couples that had broken up or hooked up over the holiday. It was widely known that the strange relationship that Haley James and Nathan Scott had formed was now over. Most believed that obviously she wouldn't put out so Nathan was moving on. Then again people didn't know what to think about Lucas Scott's sudden burst of popularity. He had done the cheerleader thing like every other guy so people were starting to chalk him up as another jock. There were also rumors that some girl at school was at death's door. However there were a few students missing that day back and it was noticed.

Nathan moved through the halls looking to a very vacant locker of Haley James. He wondered where she was. He absently wished he hadn't lost his temper the other night. She yelled at him...at him. Even when Haley was mad she always made such an effort not to yell or belittle because of Nathan's relationship with his father. He breathed deeply and grit his teeth. Nathan just couldn't stand it that once again Lucas won. It had been two nights ago that he saw his brother with the girl he thought he might be in love with. And he had a key to her house. What a world!

Nathan saw Brooke and Peyton talking seriously around Peyton's locker. The brunette looked up. "Hey Nathan...been by to see Tutor Girl?" Brooke asked concerned as Mr. Scott moved past her and Peyton. He seemed to them completely uncaring about Haley's absence.

He steeled himself against the pain the comment caused. "We're broken up Brooke...pass the word," he snipped unaware of the situation.

Peyton glared at him, "That's cold, Nathan...even for you."

He turned on her sharply, "Why?! She broke up with me! I'm supposed to what? Care?" He then began to walk away again.

Even Brooke was shocked. She walked after him a couple pace before yelling, "I would think the least you would do is check on her at the hospital."

Nathan stopped dead in his tracks and looked at them with fear, "Hospital? Why is Haley at the hospital?"

The brunette tilted her head and snipped, "There is a mad rock thrower on the loose."

"You wouldn't know anything about that would you Nathan?" Peyton accused. Both girls were looking at him with disdain. 

He swallowed hard; knowing that whatever had happened was going to change his world. "Stop it...Just tell me what happened," he begged.

Peyton turned out her foot and faced her ex-boyfriend, "Apparently two nights ago someone chucked a rock at Haley's front window where she and Lucas were standing. The glass broke and cut them both up while the rock hit Haley in the head before she hit the floor. Lucas says she knocked her head on it pretty hard. He feels responsible since he didn't ketch her in time...She hasn't regained consciousness since that night."

Nathan went completely pale. "You're lying," he said lamely.

Peyton stared at him hard. "You have got to be kidding me...I may not understand it but Haley has become a friend. She is one of the rare girls in this school I know I can trust with everything. I want a chance to prove I could be the same to her since she only seems to have Lucas...I would not lie about Haley getting hurt...Or Lucas having to get stitches and deal with the police..."

"How do you know all this?" Nathan asked.

"Because both Brooke and I tried to get him and couldn't. He called from the hospital to apologize and assure us he wasn't blowing us off. I guess without Haley he's pretty lost..." Peyton stated.

Brooke glared, "So look you got your wish...your brother is an emotional wreck."

"But here is the million-dollar question Nathan, whom do you think she's going to go for? The basketball prick or the guy who gives a damn," Peyton said snidely. 

Brooke shrugged a bit, "I know who I'd pick."

With that Nathan ran through the halls and out to his car. Classes were going to wait and mom was going to have to understand. He had to see Haley.

"You think he did it don't you?" Brooke asked Peyton.

"Oh yeah."

"Why would he? He loves Haley."

Peyton shrugged as the bell rang, "Exactly...but Lucas loves her more."

Tbc...

A/N: Two chapters together. It will be a bit before I post again.

PLEASE REVIEW SEPARATELY FROM THE LAST CHAPTER!


	9. The illbred one

Title: The ill-bred one  
  
Name: Joy  
  
Email: Julianna@ziplip.com  
  
Rating: PG 13  
  
A/N: I'm not happy about the number of reviews I got when I updated with two chapters so I don't think I will be doing that again. Please make it up to me this chapter.  
  
9.  
  
Bright and early on that cold school day, Karen had rubbed her eyes and looked at her son, his best friend and girlfriend lying unconscious and then her own boyfriend. Boyfriend. She was too old to have a boyfriend.  
  
Lucas was sleeping in the chair by Haley's bedside clutching her hand while Keith snored lightly in a chair near the tiny bathroom that adjoined the hospital room. Karen had kissed the top of each man's head, telling them she would be back later.  
  
Karen had to open the store. She contemplated calling Deb for help since she was now short staffed since her best worker was in a coma and her son was a faithful appendage to her. Due to the suspicions over Nathan's involvement in the 'incident' Karen decided she would ask for Deb's help but not tell her why Haley was unavailable. Deb's help wouldn't be necessary until the afternoon anyway.  
  
Awhile later, Keith stretched and patted Lucas's back who rolled his shoulders. Keith knew Lucas was ready to beg whatever god in heaven was available to bring Haley back to him. "Don't worry son. Haley made it through a ton of siblings...she can take a bonk to the noggin."  
  
The teen remained unconvinced. "It's been over twenty-four hours, Keith. It wasn't even a very big rock. It couldn't have hit her that hard...so then that means the reason she's not awake is I didn't catch her in time," Lucas stated sadly.  
  
"No...Who ever threw the rock in the first place is responsible...but you heard the doctor. She should be waking up soon."  
  
The blonde looked at his uncle, "How do they know?"  
  
"Luke...you are going to have to go home sometime soon. Trust that Haley will find her way back."  
  
The teen sighed, "I just want to be the one to help her find her way."  
  
"I got to go open the garage. I'll grab a taxi and leave the truck okay?" Keith said. Lucas nodded. "She will wake up, Luke"  
  
"Yeah...right...because life is fair and just," he mumbled to himself after his uncle had left the room.  
  
Nathan made his way to the information desk at the hospital frantically ringing the bell. A nurse approached slowly. "Haley James. Haley James. I need to find Haley James," he said out of breath having run from the parking lot, up the stairs, to the desk he now stood before.  
  
The nurse raised her eyebrow, "And you are?"  
  
"Her boyfriend."  
  
The woman smirked, "Nice try kid but I was th'r when his face got stitched up. Try again."  
  
"What?" Nathan stared at her. "I don't know what you're talking about but I need to see Haley. What room is she in?"  
  
Keith saw his demanding nephew badgering the nurse and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. "You aren't welcome Nathan. Go home...actually get yourself to school. That's where you belong."  
  
"You know this boy?" the nurse asked.  
  
Keith looked at her, "Yeah Clara. This is my other nephew...the ill- bred one."  
  
Clara snarked, "Shoot, I would luv' ta see the look on ya'r brotha's face if he had heard ya say that."  
  
Nathan pushed his uncle away roughly, "I have just as much right to be here as you do. You can't keep me from..."  
  
"Now boy, don't start that with ya'r uncl'," Clara said in her deeply southern accent.  
  
"And your wrong," Keith challenged. "Haley told you a dozen times in the last week she didn't want to see you. The last thing I want is for her parents to arrive to find their youngest daughter being lorded over by you when they have listened to her frustrations over your break up..."  
  
Nathan's face began to crumble, "I just want to know she's all right."  
  
That pissed Keith off to no end. "Look around Nathan. Haley is not all right. She has been unconscious for over twenty-four hours. They have no idea when she will wake up...She is not all right!" he snapped.  
  
The dark haired teen swallowed uncomfortably.  
  
Keith recognized the look in Nathan's eyes. It was the look Dan had gotten when he found out Deb was pregnant too...he was in way over his head. It was then he knew Lucas's suspicions were probably correct. Most likely Nathan saw the couple kissing and chucked a rock at the window for all his might and then ran off before he knew what happened.  
  
"Come here," Keith stated and field marched Nathan to Haley's room.  
  
Lucas was in the little bathroom washing his hands when he heard the commotion in the room. Keith was snapping at someone, so Lucas waited.  
  
"You did this didn't you?" Keith accused. "You were the one to chuck the rock at the window. You were the one to run away like a coward...you did it?" There was silence. "Answer me. Did you do this to her?"  
  
Keith pushed Nathan to the bed. "Look at her face. You see the stitches on her brow? You see the bruising? You see how pale she is?" Nathan tried to look away. "Well there she is Nathan. She look okay to you?"  
  
Lucas stayed quiet and waited. He wanted to know if he was right. If Haley had been trying to tell him she saw Nathan. He wanted to know if Nathan was cruel enough to run away.like their father.  
  
Keith leaned on the end of the bed frame, "What happened Nathan? You saw your brother kiss 'your' girl and you had to make them stop?"  
  
Nathan didn't say anything, just went over to Haley's bedside and touched her brow, grazing the butterfly bandage as his fingers traced her skin. His eyes began to well with tears. His voice was thick as he spoke, "I saw her two days ago. She was so angry with me...angry enough to yell at me. She told me to live with my mom so 'the Spawn of Satan will not have successfully cloned' or something like that." Nathan traced his finger across the stitches on her head and the bruise surrounding it. "She believed in me. Time and time again. I would screw up and she would give me another chance...just like mom and dad."  
  
Nathan kissed Haley's forehead and then turned to Keith bodily. Tears descended his cheeks completely pained. He nodded his head and said, "I saw them...I saw them together dancing...I was just angry. I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt."  
  
Tbc...  
  
REVIEW PLEASE! 


	10. Believe me

Title: Believe me

Name: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG 13

A/N: Thanks guys for the reviews. I am so much happier now. 

10.

Through the door Lucas heard Nathan's confession and remorse. It was all he needed to hear. The bathroom door flew open and Nathan was pinned to the wall. "You stupid little..."

Keith pulled Lucas off Nathan bodily. Nathan fluctuated from being angry to being tormented every few seconds that Luke and he stared at each other. Nathan could feel the hate in Lucas's eyes. "You will not get away with this!" Lucas screamed. He pulled out of his uncle's arms. "You can do whatever the hell you want to and people let you get away with it. I...will let you get away with it because you are Dan's son. But let me tell you something I will not let you get away with hurting Haley...It will be over my dead body before you walk away from this!" 

Nathan's eyes lit with fear as he contemplated the seriousness of the situation. Lucas could have him arrested and he knew it. 

Of course it had to be this moment that Clara emerged in the room with Mr. and Mrs. James. Robert James had heard Lucas yelling in the hall but hadn't heard what it was about, but he knew Lucas rarely lost his temper in such a fashion so it must be bad. Upon being faced with both Scott boys the older man looked at his daughter, gave Lucas a little squeeze on his arm for comfort then turned his sights on Nathan. "What are you doing here son?" he said attempting to be civil. 

"I..." Nathan began.

Bob was shorter than Nathan but still managed to intimidate him, "I seem to remember my daughter saying she didn't want to see you for a while... In fact I seem to remember the two of you being broken up."

"I just wanted to see her," Nathan mumbled miserably.

Jessica James went to her daughter's side and stroked her face. "Oh baby...Mama's here. Can you hear me little one?" she whispered.

Lucas lost his anger in the face of his best friends mother and leaned down beside her to be near them both. Mrs. James turned her head and saw his injuries. "Lucas, you're hurt?" she said touching his cheek. 

He shrugged a little, "No big deal."

She winked at him, "It will make a cool scar."

Lucas laughed a bit. "Always with the positive thinking."

"I have seven children Lucas; you have to look to the best."

Jesse pulled Lucas closer to whisper, "I'm glad you were with her to take care of her...Now what's he doing here?"

Lucas stood up and faced Nathan gritting his teeth, "He's feeling guilty."

For a moment no one said anything but then Robert grabbed Nathan's throat, "You did this to my baby girl?"

Keith pushed Mr. James off, "Not a good idea Bob."

"Just because he's a Scott you're going to defend him?" he asked incredulously. 

Keith sighed, "No...I just know how my brother is and he will have it be that Nathan is somehow blameless for his behavior due to this incident."

"Will you please stop talking about me like I'm not standing right here?" Nathan said frustrated. "I'm not him okay. I know it is hard for every person in this room to believe especially those with a biological link to me but I am not **_him_**...and I don't want to be." Keith raised an eyebrow at him while Lucas just glared. "I didn't mean for it to happen...I didn't do it on purpose. You have to believe me?" he said to Luke.

This lit a fire in Lucas, "Why the hell should I? After everything you did to me because you felt I had taken something away from you...after the way I saw you treat Peyton... Why am I supposed to believe that you didn't want to hurt Haley for being with me?" Both James parents looked at each other trying to assimilate the new status of the boy that had practically grown up with their daughter.

"Because I love her..." The sudden admission took the wind out of Lucas's sails. Nathan shook his head, "You said it yourself the other night. It would take some kind of idiot not to fall for her. Well despite popular opinion I am not an idiot...not about this at least."

Nathan ran his hand through his hair and blocked the adults in the room out of his mind and concentrated on Lucas. For some reason it was very important that Lucas understand that he wasn't Dan...that he wasn't running away. 

Nathan shuffled his feet, "Before...when we were dating and I'd want Haley's attention and she wouldn't answer the phone I would come over late or really early and throw rocks at her window to get her attention. That night I grabbed a handful of rocks and headed over thinking by then you would be gone. But you weren't." He looked pained as he spoke, "There you were in front of the fire dancing...and she looked so happy to be in your arms. And for a second I thought I should just go and deal with it the next day...but then I saw her point up. There was mistletoe and you kissed...and then you kept kissing." 

He was about in tears when he looked at Lucas who appeared rather confused. Nathan got irritated and snapped, "Don't you get it? Haley instigated. She broke up with me and chose to be with you... I could be pissed with you and say you were in the way but watching her kiss you and not the other way around meant it was really over and no amount of arguing would change it... I loved her and she didn't want me anymore." Nathan gripped his eyes shut and let the tears fall. "I was clenching one of the larger rocks in my pocket and chucked it at the window before I thought about what I was doing. I heard it break the glass and got spooked. I took off in the other direction..." Nathan's eyes sought Luke's for understanding. "I didn't know...I never would have hurt her...you have to believe me!" he pled.

Lucas still looked confused but he was sort of empathetic.

Keith laid his hand on Nathan's shoulder breaking the brothers' gaze. "Come on Nathan. I'm taking you home. You and Deb can decide when you want to make your statement to the police."

Bob and Jessica James looked at the boy who had injured their daughter sorrowfully while Lucas stared at him dumb founded.

Keith tried to steer Nathan out but he resisted continuing to plead with his eyes to his brother. "I would never hurt her."

"But you did..." Lucas said sadly...quietly. "And a thousand times before. This was just the first time you hurt her physically." 

Nathan looked like he had been punched in the gut. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. He was nauseated at the words and grit his teeth as Keith lead him away. 

Tbc...

A/N: I really like this chapter...See...I don't hate Nathan. I know he would never intentionally hurt Haley.

REVIEW PLEASE!


	11. I hurt Haley

Title: I hurt Haley

Name: Joy 

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG 13

11.

Nathan sat quietly in his own car as the uncle he barely knew drove him home. There was nothing for him to do. By throwing that one rock he had injured the person he cared most about outside of family and he would have a record so he blew his chances with colleges...there was no fancy footwork around this one...unless he wanted to take his father's way out. 

Arriving at the Scott home both men exited the car to see Deb opened the door to their home and stepped out on to the stoop. "Hi Keith. Everything okay?" she asked knowing that it wasn't. "What are you doing out of school Nathan?"

"Let's go inside," Keith suggested.

Nathan sat down stoically and stared at the floor. 

"What's going on?" Deb asked nervously observing her son. 

Keith watched Nathan completely tune out. "Your mother asked you a question," he said roughly.

"I hurt Haley."

"You what?" Deb gasped.

Nathan's big eyes met his mother's and pled for forgiveness, "I hurt Haley and I have to go to the police to make a statement...and..."

Deb stared at her son and then Keith, who decided to supply the missing information. "Haley and Nathan broke up last week...a couple nights ago Nathan went over to Haley's house to try to get back together. Haley was having none of it, and they fought..."

"You hit Haley?" Deb gasped in horror.

Nathan looked up in pain, "No...Lucas was there and I knew he had this thing for her...and I...I went back later thinking Lucas would be gone."

"But he wasn't..." Deb filled in.

"No he wasn't...They were kissing in the front room. I could see them through the window," he said obviously pained by the visual shutting his eyes.

Keith decided to finish the tale to save his nephew more pain, "When he and Haley were dating he would throw rocks at Haley's window when he wanted her attention once she went to bed... so when he went over he had a few rocks on hand...Seeing Haley kiss Lucas got him very angry and he chucked the rock he had been holding at the window. Problem is that he threw it hard enough to break the window. He took off before he found out the rock had hit Haley in the head causing her to fall. She hit her head again on the floor. She hasn't regained conscience since that night."

Deb stood up and paced a moment before sitting back down and holding her son's hands. "You didn't intend to hurt her, right?" 

Nathan looked at her like she was insane, "Of course."

She took a deep breath, "Do you want to do this with me or do you want me to call your father?"

"Don't call Dad," Nathan pled. "He will try to get me out of it."

"Okay...but once you make your statement I will have to tell your dad. As for now lets handle this. Do you want me to call our lawyer to meet us at the station?" Nathan shook his head. Deb hugged him to herself. "It will be fine, baby. We can do this."

Nathan looked up at her with pleading eyes, "Don't let them let me off because I'm **_his_** son. Don't let them keep my record unblemished. I've had enough of that for a lifetime."

Keith looked at his nephew confused, "Nathan, they will most likely only charge you with vandalism. I don't think Haley or her parents will press charges for assault."

Nathan faced his uncle, "But Lucas will...he can and he will...not because he hates me but because I hurt her."

Keith was quiet for a long time. "Lucas was angry when he said those things at the hospital...If you get charged for vandalism that will be good enough for him."

Nathan shook his head, "No it won't...because I don't think it's enough for me."

Deb took her son's hands, "Honey I know you feel awful about this...but..." 

Nathan stood up, throwing her hands off, "No you don't know how awful I feel. You have no idea." He went to the window and stared out. 

"I feel hollow," he whispered, "like a part of me is gone." 

Nathan walked back to his mother and said, "I have been living the life he's wanted for me for so long that I don't know what I want for myself." He shook his head, "Haley was the one thing that was uniquely mine and I treated her the way dad treated you and she left...I can't fix it or make it better. I can only hate myself for what happened."

He stared at his mother hard, "I'm becoming him...and I hate it...and I hate him for making me like this...and I hate myself for not being strong enough to tell dad to shove it a long time ago...and I hate that we will walk into that police station and he will get there and make it go away. I can't even take responsibility for this...I can't..."

"You can work at the diner," Deb suggested abruptly.

"What?!" both men said.

Deb nodded her head; "Karen needs help with Haley gone. You want away from your dad...He won't get anywhere near that place."

"Have you Okayed this with Karen?" Keith suggested concerned that this idea would inevitably be forced on his love...whatever Karen was to him...whether she wanted it or not. 

"I'll do that now," Deb said and went to the phone.

"There is no way Karen is going to let me anywhere near Lucas or the diner," Nathan stated aloud to no one really.

Keith breathed deep, "You don't know Karen. She'll let you work at the diner...with or without Lucas's approval."

"Why?"

"Because it will help your mom," Keith responded.

"How?"

Keith smiled softly, "You really don't want to hear the answer to that question."

Nathan sat for a moment and then said, "Its because she wishes I turned out more like Lucas and less like Dan...and Karen did that."

"Got it in one," Keith stated to his nephew and patted his shoulder. "I wouldn't mind getting to know you either kid." Nathan looked up at his uncle, and Keith could see his little brother at that age in his face. "I love Lucas like a son...that doesn't mean I don't love you...You do know that, don't you?"

Nathan breathed unevenly for a minute trying to remember the last time his own father had told him he loved him when it wasn't connected to basketball in some way. The brown haired boy shut his eyes and pictured the smile and hug Keith would give Lucas as he got off the court good plays or bad. When he opened his eyes again he swallowed the knot in his throat. "I know now."

Tbc...

A/N: I always wanted to see Nathan get over his class-ism...this is a start. 


	12. Parental Approval

Title: Parental Approval

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Okay guys I realize last chapter was about Nathan but it is essential for him to progress with the story. There will be at least one other chapter about Nathan. This is a Lucas / Haley story...I repeat L/H. No one worry that I am going to switch that on you. Just deal...and review.

Now onward we go-

12.

Lucas sat holding Haley's hand while Mr. and Mrs. James whispered to one another. Finally Jessica came over to Lucas pulling up another chair while Bob left the room. "So...how long have you and Haley been dating?" she asked causally though the topic was not casual. They had been away and Lucas had a key to the house. Any number of things could have taken place...especially when their daughter was home alone...with a boy...even if the boy was Lucas Scott.

He tilted his head and read between the lines. "That night Mrs. James. We started dating the night this happened," he murmured running his fingertips over the bump on Haley's head. "We agreed that the shindig I'm taking her to rather than Nathan would be a real date," he said as he returned his fingers to the self-appointed task of petting Haley's hand lightly.

"But you aren't sleeping with my daughter?" Jessica clarified.

Lucas chuckled, "Always blunt aren't you?"

"Seven kids and all," she said with a shrug. 

He sighed and shook his head, "No we aren't sleeping together." He leveled his gaze to hers and said, "I'm not my father either," referencing Nathan's earlier sentiments. 

She smirked. "You're a teenage boy Luke. At some point in the near future you will want to sleep with my daughter...I just want to have it up front this time rather than a surprise." Mrs. James was alluding to finding one of her other daughters in bed with a boy that she and her husband didn't know she was dating.

Lucas smirked, "I heard about that." He looked down and then into Jessica's face again, "I grew up without a father. If anyone understands the drawbacks to teen pregnancy, it's me. Dan told mom to abort me so I got a pretty good fix on the whole array of reactions."

"Okay, well...Let it be said that I like your continence far more than your brother and am much happier this go round. When my baby wakes up we'll have 'the talk' and she'll be mortified that I discussed this with you," Mrs. James said simply.

There was a distinct pause as Lucas stared at his fingers interlaced with Haley's. "I love her, you know," Lucas mumbled.

Jessica ran her hand through his hair. "I know...you always have...just took you a while to realize that your relationship was changing."

Lucas's cell phone began to ring. It took him a minute to recognize the sound and locate it. He wasn't even supposed to have the stupid thing on in the hospital wing. The number was Keith's so Lucas just called him back on the hospital phone. "What's up?"

"Are you going to press charges against Nathan for assault?" Keith's voice said smoothly.

"I hadn't thought about it." Lucas flexed his jaw in anger, "Why? Is he trying to get out of it?"

"No Luke. He's not." There was silence for a few moments. "Luke, he is serious about this...he wants to be punished. He is looking for you to press charges."

"I don't understand."

"You and your mom always had limits, areas you knew you couldn't cross. You understand that it's a sign of love. Nathan has never had boundaries...he has always gotten away with stuff and now someone he loves is hurt because of his carelessness. He wants penance," Keith explained from the front porch of the Scott's home. "He doesn't want Dan involved and he doesn't want to coast through this...Now are you going to press charges or not?"

"Let me talk to him."

"What?" Keith questioned.

"I want to talk to him before I decide," Lucas explained.

"Hold on."

Keith went inside and handed the phone to Nathan, "Lucas wants to talk to you...'talk' being the operative word here."

Nathan took the phone cautiously before he stood and began to pace, "Hey."

"Hey."

"Anything change?" Nathan asked quietly.

Lucas looked at Haley's face, "No."

There was silence for a while, then Lucas got up the nerve he needed, "What assurance do I have that you will let Haley be once she wakes up?"

Nathan was stunned. He hadn't considered the idea before. His brain had been swimming with so much hate and frustration at himself he forgot to think about life moving on from this point. "I guess once I see she is okay with my own eyes, I won't bother her again...I'll find another tutor...I'll walk away if that's what you both want."

Lucas let out a deep breath, "Hold on a second." He turned to Jessica and asked, "Are you going to be filing assault charges against Nathan?"

Jessica shook her head, "That would be Haley's choice and yours."

Lucas nodded and went back to Nathan. He paused. If he ever wanted Nathan Scott out of his life for good, this was his chance. If the roles were reversed Nathan wouldn't think twice...but that was why Haley was with him and not Nathan. He was the bigger man. "I won't file charges but I don't want my mom or Haley's mom, for that matter, to have to pay for the ambulance, stitches, and general health care. If you and your mom are willing to cover the expenses then I am willing to not press charges. I can't speak for Haley though."

"I'll be lucky if she doesn't get a restraining order against me," Nathan mumbled.

Lucas chuckled, "Now that I know she won't do. North Carolina has some pretty stiff penalties for stalking."

Nathan gave a half laugh, "Would serve me right though."

Lucas could feel Nathan's anguish and did his best to ease it. The one thing Nathan wanted more than anything was for Lucas to acknowledge that he did not intentionally injure Haley. Lucas could give him that. "Nathan...I do believe you when you say you would never hurt Haley...at least intentionally." Lucas was quiet a moment then continued, "You going to be okay with the fact that Haley and I are together?"

"I'm going to have to be," Nathan said leaning his head against his windowpane. The coolness of the glass eased his growing headache. 

"Wait until Haley wakes...she may be okay with seeing you," his brother offered. 

That was more than he could take, "Why do you have to be so nice about all this?"

"Kill 'em with kindness...It's a southern tradition," Lucas said off hand. "Look...at the hospital I was pretty rough on you. It was like Peyton's car all over again, except it was Haley that was broken...Knowing that you aren't backing out of your part makes this a lot easier to deal with."

There was a long period of silence before Lucas spoke again, "I'll...ah...let you know when she wakes up okay?"

"Okay."

Nathan hung up the phone and handed it back to Keith. He wanted to cry so badly his gut hurt. Deb noticed her son tremble slightly and came up behind him. She wrapped her arms around his middle. "I love you honey. We're going to get through this." Nathan turned in his mother's arms and let himself be comforted...and he let himself cry for what he knew he had to let go of...Haley.

Lucas set down the phone back on the cradle and looked over at Jessica who was looking at him fondly. "You're a good man Lucas Scott. My daughter is lucky to have you."

"Yeah. Well... points for Mom Approval," he said swallowing the lump in his throat.

Jessica tugged Lucas back down to his post by Haley's side, "You love my daughter and I know it. I can't ask for more than that."

He shrugged. "When Nathan gets his act together he could provide wealth," Lucas pointed out playing with the frayed edge of his sleeve.

"A wealth of money does not help with a wealth of heartache Lucas," Mrs. James said sweetly. "Now try waking your Sleeping Beauty with a kiss..."

His eyebrows jumped to his hairline. "What?" 

"Just give it a try," Jessica encouraged. "Haley always was a sucker for Prince Phillip."

Lucas chuckled and shook his head. Jessica nodded and nudged his shoulder. He breathed deep before whispering to Haley, "Come on sweets. Open you eyes for me...come back to me." He kissed her sweetly on the forehead, nose and then lips. Lucas stared at her a moment then sighed, "Not a prince after all."

Jessica laughed, "Always a prince."

Lucas took up Haley's hand again and kissed it. "I'll wait Hales...I may not have a hundred years but... You just get better." Jessica and Lucas just smiled at on another for a moment. It was about then that Haley's fingers twitched in Lucas's palm.

Tbc...

A/N: Haley will wake up next chapter...promise. 

NOW REVIEW...PLEASE!


	13. Waking Confusion

Title: Waking confusion

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Forgive me. I have had a string of migraines and am not sure how well edited this chapter is. 

13.

Lucas looked curiously at Haley's prone body. "Haley...Hales...can you hear me?" She squeezed his hand. "Try to open your eyes okay?" Her hand squeezed his again as her eyes fluttered but refused to open. "Come on baby, wake up," he whispered and kissed her again.

This time Haley did open her eyes slowly, blinking randomly. "I'll get the doctor," Lucas offered so Jessica could be alone with her daughter only to have Haley refuse to let go of his hand. Lucas looked and Jessica for a moment and Mrs. James headed for the door.

Haley moved her jaw a bit and tried to move but grimaced. "Don't move...don't move..." Lucas said standing over Haley brushing her hair back from her face with such love that her eyes began to tear. "What's wrong baby?" he whispered. The tears began to run down her cheeks toward her ears. Lucas stopped their paths with a kiss and a well-placed finger. "The doctor's will be here soon but I want you to think about this...you need to decide if you want to file assault charges. You were right. You did see Nathan...he did do this." Now Haley was crying. "I'm sorry...its too soon...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

Jessica and a nurse stepped into the room. "What happened?"

Lucas looked pained, "I'm not sure. She started crying and...then like an idiot I mentioned the whole filing charges. That's when the tears really started to flow."

The nurse looked Haley over while Jessica and Lucas continued to talk. "You should refrain from talking about what happened until we find out what Haley remembers."

Haley pushed the nurse aside and gasped, "Help me," in a very rough voice from lack of use. 

The nurse handed her some water as the doctor came in with Haley's father. "Well...well...Sleeping Beauty has awoken. Let's have a look at..."

"Can I hug my daughter before you start poking at her again?" Bob asked. 

"That is fine. I'll be back in a few minutes" the doctor nodded.

Bob sat down next to his daughter and touched her face. "Hey baby. You had us worried sick. Lucas has been at your side for almost two days now...and he's beginning to smell," he joked turning to Luke. Lucas chuckled a bit but was concerned that Haley still looked incredibly confused. Bob turned back to his daughter; "This is a far better Scott to date than that Nathan kid, so thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Haley stared at Lucas with fear. "Haley, what's wrong?" he said soothingly. 

She looked down and turned to both her parents, "Can Luke and I talk for a minute?" her voice still raspy from lack of use. 

"Okay honey...we'll take a walk," Jessica suggested pulling Bob away knowing there was a problem of some sort. Haley was far more likely to tell Lucas than either of them.

Lucas sat down on the side of the bed where her father had sat. He held her hand in his while the other he used to push her hair behind her ear. "What's going on Hales? You look so scared."

"I am," she whispered. "I don't understand what my father was saying at all...I don't understand the look in your eyes toward me."

Lucas was shocked, hurt...and scared. "Haley what is the last thing you remember?"

Haley closed her eyes and sat quietly. She opened her eyes with a start, "What is the date?"

"How about you answer that first?"

Haley shook her head in confusion, "I don't know...I think we just started school...but that seems wrong."

Lucas wanted to cry but drew himself up and stroked Haley's hand. Despite her lack of memory she still held fast to him. "It's January, Haley. School just started back from break today." Haley began to cry. "It's okay...It's just the bump to the head you took. I'm sure you'll get your memory back real soon," he said hugging her lightly before kissing her forehead. 

Haley's face came up a little and Lucas went to kiss her lips before he caught himself. The look of surprise in Haley's still opened eyes brought Lucas back to himself. "I'm sorry. I...I'm sorry," he muttered pitifully letting go of her entirely. 

"We really are dating? This isn't just wishful thinking on my father's part?" she said still a bit stunned. 

"Yeah...but I won't...we won't...We can just be best friends again... if you want," he said the last with a hard swallowed looking down. 

"Lucas," she called.

He looked up with an incredibly forced smile, "Yeah."

Haley took his hand drawing his attention to their interlocking digits, "I will remember." 

Lucas looked up to see the sincerity in her eyes and gave a small relieved sigh. "Yeah...you will."

The doctor knocked at the door, "Ready for me now." Haley nodded. "First off I am Dr. Myer. I'm a neurologist...Let's start with something simple. How does your head feel?"

"It hurts."

"Show me where," the doctor instructed.

Haley put her hand to her temple and felt a butterfly bandage. "Why am I cut?" she asked Lucas with fear.

Dr. Myer looked at her for a moment and then turned to Lucas, "She doesn't remember what happened but she knows you know?"

Lucas shrugged, "When she first woke up I wanted her to know that the police would be asking her questions...but I didn't tell her any specifics because I thought she would remember."

Dr. Meyer turned back to Haley, "What's today's date?"

"I don't know," Haley responded. "Look, from what I've talked to Lucas about I know that my memory is shot at the moment. I also know I'm a few months off in thinking since to me it should be September."

"We are going to have to run some tests okay?" the doctor said calmly. "This sort of amnesia goes away fairly quickly in most cases but not always...so don't be discouraged if things don't fall into place immediately."

"Will someone at least tell me what happened to me?" Haley snapped.

Dr. Myer's shook his head, "Not until the police talk to you."

"But I don't remember anything," she yelled out of frustration. 

A sudden flood of brief memories filtered in her brain and then out again. 

"Haley...what happened?" the doctor asked.

Haley found herself with Lucas holding her hand on one side and the doctor on the other. She was lying back down. "I'm not sure."

"What did you see?" Lucas asked quietly.

"A bunch of little things," she paused and concentrated on one particular memory, "but the thing that strikes me as odd was memory of being at a school basketball game. I don't go to the basketball games," Haley murmured.

Both Haley and the doctor looked to Luke for an explanation. "You do actually...now that I'm on the team."

Haley smiled her funny little smile that was full of love and pride, "That takes guts Luke. I'm proud of you."

Lucas was blown away, "Thanks..."

She nodded, "So when can I get the interrogation over with?"

The doctor chimed in, "Your father called the detective when we found out you were awake. I believe he was coming over."

"Skills' uncle...nice guy," Lucas commented. 

"Something new to look forward to," Haley remarked and interlaced her fingers with Luke's again before shutting her eyes. He leaned in and kissed her forehead. 

Luke sat back causing Haley to pout. "What's with the lip?" he questioned.

"I don't get a real kiss?" she asked with her eyes still shut.

He chuckled and looked at the doctor, "Not in front of the grown up."

Dr. Myer laughed, "And on that note I will go outside and occupy your parents for a couple minutes to allow you some..." he cleared his throat, "time." 

Lucas watched the doctor leave the room before quickly turning to Haley and kissing her lips. Haley opened her eyes and smiled. "Girl could get used to this."

Luke smiled back, "You better."

Tbc...

PLEASE REVIEW.


	14. Making Good

Title: Making Good

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Jake has told everyone about his daughter by this point. I haven't decided how yet. But of course in the cannon of the show nothing has occurred past Arms Out Stretched in history. Especially no 'boyfriend' comment by Brooke. 

14.

            Lucas sat in the waiting room while Detective Williams interviewed Haley alone. The whole situation sucked. The only upside was Haley didn't remember her relationship with Nathan nor his relationships with Brooke and Peyton. He squeezed his eyes shut. He knew Peyton had figured out what was up between him and Haley but it hadn't been said out loud. Then again he also knew something was afoot with her and Jake, though that had not been said aloud either. Talking to Peyton was easier than talking to Nathan but Nathan was the one dying inside a little more every minute that he thought that Haley was still under. Lucas picked up his cell and dialed.

                    "Hello...Luke?" Keith said quickly.

                    "Yeah...um...are you still at Deb's?"

                    "Yeah...what's up?" 

            Lucas sighed. It was time to get this over with, "Let me talk to Nathan, please."

                    "Okay..."

            Keith walked into the living room where Deb was on the phone with Karen discussing the whole situation including help with the diner. Nathan had agreed that part of his penance would be helping out at the diner since Haley couldn't for the time being. In the last several hours Nathan had decided several things about his life and one of them was leaving Dan's world behind. The best way to do that was to entrench himself in Lucas's world. That was one place Dan would refuse to follow. 

            Nathan looked up to see Keith standing by him passing him the cell phone, "Lucas." Deb turned to the two guys and waited, as did Karen on the phone. 

            The teen took a deep breath and spoke, "Hello."

            "She's awake."

            Nathan was flooded with relief and got teary eyed. The small smile he gave was what caused both Deb and Keith to breathe easy. Nathan swallowed hard, "Can...Can I come see her? Will she allow me to visit?"

            There was silence for a long time. Then finally Lucas said, "You can come...it might help jog her memory."

                    Nathan's brain stalled, "What do you mean 'jog her memory'?" All movement in the room stopped. Deb quit telling Karen that Haley was okay, Keith quit his little giddy smirk and Nathan quit smiling. 

Another long pause and Lucas said, "She woke up thinking it was September, Nathan...She doesn't remember your relationship with her...or mine for that matter. She gets flashes of memories but so far they have all been about me. That's why it would be good if you came. You've been a big part of her life the last couple months."

Nathan began to shake a little. "She won't remember me at all. She won't even understand why I'm there..." This was the worst nightmare he could imagine. "The only person I have ever let myself need and it gets this jacked...and worst of all- it's my own damn fault!" he said angrily. 

Deb handed her phone off to Keith to keep Karen update so she could hug her son. She pulled his head to her shoulder and he began to cry loosely holding the cell in his hand. "Karen, I'll call you back okay?" Keith said into the house phone and took his cell from his nephew's limp hand.

"Luke...what's going on?" he said firmly.

"Where did Nathan go?" the teen questioned. 

"The reality of the situation is hitting him hard," Keith explained patting the nephew before him on the shoulder. "Now what is Haley's status?"

"She's awake but she didn't remember what happened, dating me, dating Nathan...nothing since the beginning of school. She's scared and confused. Haley seems open to the fact there was an 'us'...we've even kissed." Lucas paused, "Don't tell Nathan that. It will only make him feel worse... She's in with the detective now and since she was the only one to see Nathan throw the rock but she doesn't remember it, it doesn't seem he will get into any trouble."

Keith sighed, "Why don't you put the detective on the phone before he leaves and I'll arrange a time for Nathan to make a statement, okay?"

"Sure," Lucas said in confusion. 

Keith wondered away into another room to speak to Lucas privately. "He's not taking this well Luke."

"I know the feeling."

"No you don't," his uncle stated. "In the end you will have your family, basketball, and Haley. In the end he will have to defend his decision to come forward to his father, his parents will probably be getting a divorce, he won't be allowed to finish the season, and he won't have Haley...Luke, you are going to have to let him into your world as much as possible. It's the only place he feels like Dan won't get his paws on Nathan."

"What are you saying? Nathan is becoming my best buddy?" Luke asked.

"No. But your mom and Deb have worked it out that Nathan's going to be covering for Haley at the diner. I've called Whitey and Nathan is pretty much on probation from the team. Nathan may or may not be allowed to come back based on how Whitey thinks he's doing…Nathan doesn't want Dan involved with as much of this as possible. I'm hoping that the DA will allow Nathan a Probation officer that can help him with the legal stuff of staying with his mom."

Lucas knocked his head against the wall. "This just sucks all the way around." He rubbed his forehead. "If you had told me three days ago I would feel this sorry for Nathan Scott I would have laughed in your face."

The sound of Haley's door being lurched open brought Lucas round to see Detective Williams exited her room and coming to him. "She's asking for you," the detective said quietly. "I'm afraid she's a bit overwhelmed at the moment."

"Ah…" Lucas motioned to the phone, "Its my uncle Keith. He would like to speak to you if possible."

"Okay." The detective took the phone from Lucas's hand before he walked to Haley's room. 

"Hey…" Lucas said gently. Haley looked up with tears running down her cheeks. "You want some company?" she nodded. Lucas sat on the bed next to her rubbing her arm absently. "Ya want a hug?" Haley nodded again and wrapped her arms around him so tight before he rocked her back and forth. Detective Williams found them that way and set the cell phone down silently making his way to the station to meet the other Scott boy.

"I feel so stupid for crying like a little kid," Haley murmured against Lucas's shoulder.

"You're allowed. Major traumatic event normally leads to feels of fear…common reflex," Luke said analytically taking her face in his hand while he wiped her tears away with his thumb.

"When did you go all Cosmo on me?" Haley asked with a giggled hiccup.

"Peyton…Sawyer," Lucas said before he stopped to think about the can of worms he just opened. Haley's let an eyebrow rise at him. "We're friends…actually you too. You're pretty good friends with her actually. It's kind of weird… She has issues," he shrugged. "We have both gotten good with the teen version of psychobabble."  
            "Really?" Haley said still shocked.

"Really," Luke responded.

"You care to explain how this miracle occurred…Oh wait…I forgot…You can't tell me, doctor's orders," she said in a huff.

"Come on Hales," he pouted, "It's not like this is fun for me. I feel like I'm lying to you…We've never not told each other stuff before… Well accept… Never mind."

Haley pouted at him, "I don't like this."

Lucas sighed, "Neither do I… Look I'll do my best to get people to come visit in order to aid this process." She nodded. "Okay then." He smirked and gave her a quick kiss.

"You like kissing me, don't you?" Haley laughed.

"Who wouldn't?" 

Tbc…

REVIEW PLEASE!


	15. Miranda Rights

Title: Miranda Rights

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

A/N: ***WARNING*** Nathan centered chapter. YOU CANNOT SKIP IT.

15.

            The Tree Hill Police station was busy as Nathan sat with his mom in Detective Williams office. Nathan had made his statement, signed the papers, and was now waiting to have Detective Williams return, potentially with a prosecuting attorney. 

            A professional looking woman in a purple suit came to the Scotts. "Hello, my name is Samantha Brach. I'm an Assistant DA here. Detective Williams wanted me to meet you in person instead of on paper…courtesy to your family." Nathan nodded staring at his hands. She appeared concerned about Nathan's manner. "Are you okay?"

            He laughed, "Not really. I hurt my ex-girlfriend that I don't want to be broken up with and because of her injury she doesn't even remember dating me. I'm really not okay." She eyed him a minute. "Sorry. It's been a really long day."

            Ms. Brach looked Deb over, "Is there a reason your husband is not here?"

            "My husband and I are separated. Nathan asked that we handle this and not involve Dan for as long as possible."

            "This is as long as possible… Legally both parents are allowed to have council present in the matter of a minor…" Both Scotts appeared concerned, so she decided to speak to them on the level. "Look I've read your statement and Detective Williams says neither of the injured parties are planning on pressing assault charges so the vandalism charge is pretty much a probation offense. Since you've already made your statement, there really isn't much your father can do…Detective Williams made it really clear that you want to have punishment for your involvement. It is your choice whether to use your father's lawyer or not."

            Deb looked at her son, "I've already called someone at the firm to help get the paper work filed. She understands what you want so we should be okay…but they were going to notify your dad."

            Nathan sighed out, "I wish he would just leave us alone."

            It was about that time that an enraged Dan Scott came barreling into the police station. Ms. Brach saw the commotion and the verbal berating Detective Williams and the other officers were taking from Mr. Scott. "Good heavens…What does that man think he is doing?" she asked aghast at the elder Scott's behavior.

Nathan chuckled, "Imagine that day in and day out about basketball."

            The ADA looked at Nathan, "That's your father?" The teen nodded. "He acts like this a lot?"

            Nathan grinned sardonically, "I will never be good enough to satisfy him. He can't play, so I have to." Ms. Brach sat on the edge of the desk and decided to have a very hands-on approach with this case. 

            Dan made it over to the office where Deb and Nathan sat with the ADA. "What the hell is this Deb? You punish our son because you're mad at me?" he screamed.

            "Lower your voice," she snipped. Nathan stared at the floor.

            "Son, we could have avoided all of this if you had come to me," Dan implored.

            Nathan looked up for a moment, "This was my choice DAN and I didn't want you to be part of it."

            Dan stared at his son and then turned hatefully on Deb, "You have poisoned our son against me…Oh the lawyers are going to have a field day with this. Mark my words Deb you are going to regret the day you ever started this."

            Ms Brach stepped in, "Mr. Scott you need to calm down. Your son chose to own up to his part of a crime. That is a noble thing…you should be proud of him."

            "Proud…of him…for throwing away his future…over some girl. You have got to be kidding me," Dan spat at the ADA.

            "Mr. Scott, two teens were sent to the hospital and one of them has lost her short term memory over this. Your son did the right thing. Because of his honesty he will only be faced with vandalism charges rather than assault charges as well."

            Dan grit his teeth, "If he had come to me he wouldn't be facing any charges at all."

            The ADA stared back at the stubborn man, "That is where you are wrong…You may have influence over incidents of car accidents Mr. Scott…but your Judge friend that you were relying on to take care to the matter refused the case stating a conflict of interest. Apparently he's not so keen on continuing to clean up your son's messes…And isn't it interesting that on his own Nathan was oh so willing to take responsibility for his actions but for prior acts of poor judgment with your involvement he was not."

            "You have no proof that he is responsible for anything…and it's not wise to start spouting off about prior situations you know nothing about," Dan snapped.

That was more than Nathan could take. He got to his feet and stared hard in his father's eyes. "But I know about them DAD!"

Dan glared at his son before Nathan spoke again. "…And at least I accept responsibility for my choices and am doing right by that girl…but you wouldn't know anything about that. You just ran away and pretended like nothing happened…like you weren't responsible. Well I'm not you and I don't want to be," Nathan spouted completely off topic. 

He continued, "I kept trying to figure out why I hated Lucas and the answer was you taught me to. You want nothing more than to erase him from history so you aren't constantly reminded of what a prick you really are. If Lucas would go away then life would be perfect. Well, I'm glad he's alive just so I can see what a son of yours looks like without the scars of growing up under your influence. Guess what dad? I don't hate Lucas. I hate you…It's funny… you have two teenage sons that both hate you…one because you abandoned him and one because you were around. Now that is irony."

Dan Scott was speechless for a moment but then came back with, "I want the best for you and this is how you treat me."

            "You want the best for you…and always have," Nathan challenged. 

He stared his father down with a set jaw, "Mom and I don't need you here…and I don't need your help with this. I made my statement and am now talking to the ADA about the next step…so back off. It's handled."

            "You will regret this."

            Nathan stared at him like he was insane, "I already regret what happened. This…me making my statement…is the only thing I can do to help make it right. I'm not going to regret that."

            "When colleges turn you down for a record then what?" Dan gripped.

            Ms. Brach piped up, "He's a minor so his record will be sealed. Colleges aren't privy to that information unless Nathan discloses it."

            "Stay out of this lady," Dan snapped getting right in her face.

            Samantha Brach caught sight of Detective Williams observing the situation near by. "Mr. Scott, your presence is the one in question at the moment, not mine. Your son and wife wish you to leave so I would suggest you do so. You have already made quite a scene and I would hate to think what would happen if the officers in the vicinity believed you were threatening myself, your son, or wife."

            Dan's anger boiled. He reacted instantly grabbing Ms. Brach by the throat. Detective Williams was there in a second removing Dan's hand. His arm was twisted behind his back and cuffs were snapped on before he had time to think. "You have the right to remain silent…" the detective began much to Dan's shock, "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have…"

            "What am I being arrested for?" Dan interrupted.

            Detective Williams snickered as other officers glared at Mr. Scott, "You just assaulted the ADA in front of half the squad room. Assaulting an officer of the court is never wise…Lets go…"

            "You have the right to an attorney," the detective continued to Mirandize Dan as he walked away.

            "I'm…I'm so sorry," Deb began.

            Samantha put a hand up, "You don't have to apologize for him. He is a big boy that makes his own choices and is now suffering from them." Ms. Brach sighed, "I suggest you use an attorney not in the same firm as your husband." She handed over a card from her portfolio. "This is the number for a lawyer in Chapel Hill that is really good with family situations…especially amongst the wealthy."

            "Thank you," Deb took the card solemnly. 

            Samantha looked the woman over a bit, "It is in your son and your best interest to get a protective order against him. As the situations with your own family issues escalate it is likely he will turn on you the way he did me. I will be happy to go before a judge and give my account of what I have seen…and I will be pressing charges for your sake… It will make custody discussions easier for you."

            Nathan looked hard at the woman, "Why are you helping us?"

            She smiled, "So you don't become him."  
  


Tbc… 

PLEASE…PLEASE…PLEASE REVIEW.


	16. Cheerleaders

Title: Cheerleaders

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com Rating: PG-13

A/N: If anyone has issue with the way I am dealing with Haley's amnesia let me just say it was based on my own. All of the ways memories come back to her are the ways they have come back to me so...I've never met anyone else who has had serious memory loss so I'm just going with what I know.

16.

Haley sat quietly in her hospital room trying to remember the last few months. There were images, brief flashes of memories, and partial statements haunting her brain. It was weird to have everyone avoid telling her what had happened. It was just refereed to as 'the accident'. It was this great secret that no one was willing to share. She didn't remember a lot about the first few minutes after she woke up and she knew there were things said that should have made sense to her but didn't...and now she couldn't remember what they were or what was even said.

Lucas's account of the last few months was less than stellar and left huge gaping holes. Haley had no idea what possessed Luke to join the basketball team. She was proud of him sure but to subject himself to Nathan Scott must have been hell. 

The doctors wanted to re-introduce people into her life in an attempt to let her brain catch up without forcing the point. It was to see what memories specific individuals spawned. Haley got the distinct feeling that there was at least one person they were purposely keeping away or was unavailable at the moment. This person, whoever it was, seemed to be the key to her memory block. 

Haley had overheard the doctor say that the more emotionally stressful the relationship she had the more difficult the brain would have retrieving the memories, since the brain would naturally attempt to protect itself from further pain. But by the same token if the events that were painful were important in some way the mind would let them surface. In Haley's estimation the doctor' really didn't know how her memories were going to come back and they were just covering their butts. 

These thoughts were still looming as the door to her room swung open and there was Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer. Two Cheerleaders...She was friends with two cheerleaders. She had to have woken up in the Twilight Zone for this to be right. Haley had of course been told she was a friend of Peyton's though she didn't believe it until the minute the girl stood before her (I mean why would the almighty Peyton Sawyer visit the likes of Peasant Haley unless they were friends), but no one had mentioned Brooke as part of the deal. 

"Hey there Tutor Girl," Brooke cooed as she entered the room. "We need to spring you from this unflattering light and costume," she murmured touching the paper gown she was still stuck in. (Her mother was supposed to back with some pajamas and an outfit or two soon.)

            Peyton saw the rising panic in Haley's eyes. "You don't remember us being friends...do you?"

            She shook her head, "Lu...Lucas mentioned you would be dropping by. I had to assume that meant something had changed."

            Brook smirked, "You could say that."

Haley saw her moment to get some answers from these people and smiled, "Can you tell me how this all happened? I'm getting really tired of people leaving stuff out of conversations 'for my own good'."

            Peyton shook her head, "The doctor wouldn't let us in until we promised not to talk about the accident. He says your mind is fragile or what not. I think they are assuming you're highly suggestible right now or something."

                    "Really," Brook perked up lying at the foot of the bed. She looked hard in Haley's eyes and did strange wavy motions with her hands in front of her, "You will break up with Lucas so Brooke and Peyton can each have a shot..." Peyton glared at her. "What? It's not like we don't all know in the end Lucas will come back and marry her eventually. I would just like a chance before the impending nuptials."

            "Huh?" Haley said quite confused. She turned to Peyton who by now had taken up residence in the chair next to Haley's bed. She was scribbling something in a drawing pad. It seemed so familiar.

            Brooke continued, "Not that you really like Lucas that much anymore. Your eyes seem to be more focused on another member of the basketball team. One with a small baby named Jenny."

            Peyton blushed. 

"Someone on the basketball team has a baby?" Haley asked.

            "Jake," Peyton confirmed.

            "Wow," Haley mumbled. She saw the ease that Peyton felt with her and felt a real peace back, though Brooke still inspired a shock of cold down her spine for some reason.

            Lights seemed to flash behind Haley's eyes for a moment and she touched her temple on instinct. "You okay?" Peyton asked worried as Brooke looked on in concern.

                    "Yeah...just flashback...Jumbles of words and images...I feel like I'm stuck in the movie Memento," Haley grumbled.

            "One of Peyton's favorite movies," Brooke observed lying on her side.

Haley turned to Peyton quizzically, "We talked about me being a virgin. Why did we do that?"

                    Peyton's eyes got big but then began to calculate her answer, "You dated a guy before Lucas that you weren't sure what he wanted from you."

            "But why would I be talking to you about it?" Haley questioned.

            "I..." Peyton began. Brooke raised her eyebrows and nudged her to continue. "I broke up with Nathan Scott because he was an ass and because I liked Lucas...I guess you could say its Lucas's fault we're friends. We just got each other."

            "And you?" Haley inquired of Brooke.

            She shrugged, "I got high one night after a game. You missed the van back, so Peyton drove us home. But in my stupor I invited you along so...It's weird. Plus of course Lucas is a hottie."

            "Okay so... I have no problem with the fact that you both lust after my boyfriend?" Haley asked.

            Brooke smirked, "As of a few days ago he was still on the market and you had just become available. Peyton and I were both up for your part in this little drama we call life...I got him drunk and a tattoo but he chose you." She gave a real smile, "You actually do like us, and we'll only steal Lucas occasionally. No more drinking and tattoos…Promise…Beside Peyton's already moving on and so will I. I just need to find a nice guy for a change."

            Haley smiled despite herself. "So you love me for my boyfriend."

            Peyton chuckled, "And your advice, and your kindness...and your friendship."

            "What she said," Brook pointed at Peyton.

            Brooke sat up on the bed, "So when will they let you out of here?"

            "Day or two I guess. Want to make sure I don't slip into a coma or something."

                    "Good...so we will get to see the infamous dress at the Winter Formal after all," Brooke said cheerily. "I will be stepping out with Tim for the night." She turned to Peyton, "Don't let me drink or sleep with him okay?"

            "Wait what? Winter Formal? Why the hell would I have agreed to go to the Winter Formal?" Haley questioned.

            Peyton bit her lip, "Your ex and you were going but you broke up. You already had a pretty expensive dress that your parents splurged on so you still had to go. Lucas jumped in as the knight."

            "Why do I get the feeling my ex is the big elephant in the room?" Haley asked.

            Peyton shrugged, "Until he comes by I don't think it would be good for us to tell you..."

"It's not like you would believe us anyway," Brook offered with a smirk. "When you want to punch someone find me. I set you up on your first date with him so I am to blame..."

            "My life just can't get any weirder," Haley said shaking her head.

            "Just wait 'till you find out who you were dating," Brooke offered.

            "You'll think about committing yourself," Peyton claimed.

            "This cannot be good," Haley observed.

            Both cheerleaders just laughed.

Tbc…

A/N: I know its on the short side but...next chapter is the show down.


	17. For Haley's Sake

Title: For Haley's sake

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG-13

A/N: I felt the need for another Lucas / Nathan chapter before letting Haley at Nathan. It felt too forced that Nathan just came by the hospital and there was too much potential angst in the conversation between the Scott brothers to get Nathan there…so here is the chapter in between. 

17.

Lucas was once again banished to the waiting room as Peyton and Brooke cavorted with Haley. Part of him was very concerned that their presence could mean disaster for his budding relationship, but he worried more about Haley's frustration level. She had only been awake a few hours and yet she acted like it was the end of the world that memories were not lining up in her mind.

Keith was at the garage. Karen was running the shop while Deb and Nathan were at the police station. Haley's parents had left Lucas to look after their daughter while they went to pick up Haley's brother, Rick, from the airport. Rick was always very protective of Haley and it was the perfect excuse to blow off the work for a few days. 

Lucas's cell phone rang from an unlisted number, "Hello?"

"Hey," Nathan said quietly. "Guess where I am."

"Police station?" Lucas replied.

"Guess what just happened," the dark haired boy said.

"You are calling me with your one phone call because you decked a cop?" the blond offered back.

"Close," Nathan said with a pause. "Dan just got arrested for attacking the ADA."

Lucas pushed his head off the wall, "Are you kidding?"

"Ah…No. I would not kid about that. By that one action dear daddy is going to have a hell of a time fighting mom's protective order."

"Wow…way to go Deb," the older Scott said shaking his head. "Should also help with custody."

Nathan nodded to himself, "Yeah…tomorrow we meet with a judge for the protective order and a lawyer for custody / separation. So I really doubt I'm going to see school in the near future."

Lucas stood up and began to pace. He took a deep breath and grit his teeth. He hated what he was about to say. "So…you up for seeing Haley tonight?"

Nathan was taken aback, "Ah…well…ah…I hadn't thought about it." He shifted and remembered he was tethered to desk. "Let me get my mom's cell and call you back."

"You have the number?"

"I just called you dumb-ass."

Lucas sort of chuckled at the lack of venom in the words. "Fine just hurry up. I don't know how much time I trust Peyton and Brooke to be with my girl…I mean…Sorry. I'll shut up now."

Nathan sighed, "Lucas, Haley was always your girl. I just was leant her for a short while… Talk to you soon."

Lucas hit his head against the wall for a minute then actually considered Nathan's words. Haley had always been his. Lucas smiled at the thought. Haley's sweet voice wafted through his brain, "My Lucas…I not share." 

Lucas was startled when his phone rang again. "Hey there."

"Hey…so you want me to come by tonight? What's the rush?" Nathan stated a little worried. 

The blond moaned, "Haley's freaking out that she is having flashbacks and she's anxious to find out the big secret we've been keeping from her."

"You mean you didn't tell her this was my fault?"

"No man. Doc is all about having her memories come back naturally. If she could she would line up every person she has spoken to in the last three months round the clock in order to move this process along," Lucas shook his head. "Doc made Brooke and Peyton swear on a stack of Bibles that they would not discuss the accident…They are allowed to answer direct questions but must 'use their judgment' on stuff. I personally think this guy is too paranoid but that's just me."

Nathan saw Dan talking with his lawyer as he was being processed out. It was too fast Dan needed to be away longer so he and his mother had time to see the judge. "Aren't you worried about Haley finding out about the whole weird triangle thing you had with Peyton and Brooke?" Nathan asked pacing around the station as his mother looked on in concern.

"No…not really. Things never got serious with either of them. I mean they could have but I just felt like my life became a soap opera and I wanted off the set."

"So you busted Peyton and me up for kicks?" Nathan suddenly snapped, his emotional state beginning to bend. 

"Wow man…no…"

"Well that sure as hell how it sounds."

Lucas shook his head to clear it, "No…I wanted a relationship with Peyton and she wanted sex so she bailed." The blond was insulted by the insinuation, "And for the record I didn't break you up…you broke you up. Just like Haley, so don't you even think of coming down on me about this. You crashed her car, you humiliated me, you used Haley… You did this."

"I never used Haley," Nathan spat.

"Right. You were interested in getting a tutor and Haley was just a random thing? That is a lie and you know it," Lucas snarled. "You used her. You kept using her and she bailed. That is what happened Nathan. Just face it."

Nathan's headache returned and he rubbed his temple. He realized he was touching the spot the rock had hit Haley on her brow. It made him give up the fight. That and the fact that Dan left with no comment to either Deb or himself. Suddenly Lucas's voice was in his ear again, "Look lets try and keep the peace for Haley please."

"Sure," Nathan murmured mechanically. "It's not like I have a choice."

"Come on man…"

"I know. I'm sorry. Dan just got out and it's making me jumpy."

Lucas felt a twang of sympathy for him, "Dan makes everyone jumpy." Nathan chuckled. 

"Look, just come by tonight if you're up for it."

"Might as well get it over with. She'll either remember me or she won't," Nathan stated simply. 

"She'll remember you."

Nathan rubbed his head then pinched the brim of his nose where the pressure in his head seemed to be building, "It's amazing to think how much different my life could have been if mom would have bailed sooner or I had told Dad to shove it." He laughed to himself, "You should have seen the look on his face when I yelled back at him. It was even more priceless to see him when I said I didn't hate you but I did hate him…What do you know I can occasionally be angry at the person I should be angry with…novel concept."

Lucas was still dumb struck from Nathan saying that he didn't hate him. "Must have been a hell of a fight."

"Yeah…thus being why Dan throttled the ADA. No impulsive control…like father like son."

"Don't Nate. Just don't," Luke coaxed. "You were right and you are right: You aren't him. What you did today proves that… You are a bigger man at age sixteen than Dan can ever dream of. Don't lose sight of that."

Nathan took a deep breath and swallowed shallowly. "You should have been Keith's kid," he said with his voice full of emotion.

"Why?"

"Cause you act just like him," Nathan held back tears. He didn't even know why Lucas's opinion mattered so much, but it did. 

There was silence for a minute and then Lucas said, "You're going to be alright Nathan…You will."

Nate looked across at his mom's worried expression and spoke, not really thinking about what he was saying. "I'll come by to see Haley later tonight…Thanks for being proud of me big brother," and he flipped the phone shut before walking to his mother. 

Lucas stood stock still trying to figure out what had just happened when Peyton and Brooke poured out of the room. "Bye-bye Tutor Girl," Brooke smirked before exiting the door. She encountered Peyton who was staring at Lucas's odd expression. "What the hell is wrong with him?"

"I don't know," Peyton responded. "Lucas…you okay?"

He nodded slowly and swallowed, "Sure."

"Then why do you look shell shocked?"

"Because hell is freezing as we speak either that or it's the first sign of the apocalypse," Luke said staring into space.

"What? You've seen blood coming out of faucets rather than water," Brooke quipped.

"No…" Lucas focused on the girls. "Nathan Scott just called me 'big brother'."

Both girls' faces faltered and Haley, who had just come to the door, promptly fainted.

Tbc…

A/N: So I promise next time we'll have the N/H/L confrontation. I also promise not to turn the story into a H/N. I just don't do that. 

PLEASE REVIEW!


	18. Painful memories of love

Title: Painful memories of love

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com

Rating: PG-13

18.

            Haley's fainting spell made the doctors nervous about releasing her without another 48 hours of observation and testing. Lucas could not seem to convince the staff that her reaction was perfectly natural for what she had overheard. She hadn't mentioned remembering anything about the brown haired Scott so Lucas just held his breath and waited until his baby bro showed up.

Haley was getting used to using her legs again in the courtyard of the hospital that same night when Nathan spied her from afar. He knew Lucas would be watching so he had better not screw up if he wanted to sustain any sort of relationship with Haley at all.

For Haley's part she just felt like she had to find her sea legs. The feeling only increased when Nathan Scott approached her. If she were honest with herself she did find him physically attractive but she found Lucas more attractive. Even as this other boy approached for what appeared to be no reason, her stomach dipped at the thought of Lucas, of the way he had held her, of the way he kissed her, of the thoughts of other things she would like to do with him.

Nathan stood before her. "Haley," he called since she didn't seem to be all there.

Haley tilted her head to the side like a small dog, "Nathan Scott? What are you doing here?"

"Lucas said I could come." Nathan shifted uncomfortably. He gazed at her lovingly as he remembered how her auburn hair shone red in the North Carolina sun.

"Why would you want to come visit?" she asked innocently. "Oh wait. Does this have something to do with Peyton?"

"No. You were my tutor...and we became close." There was no recognition in her eyes. 

"Why would I have done that? Why would I have hurt Lucas for you?" Haley questioned in slight fear.

Nathan looked pained and came close entering her personal space as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to be there. "It wasn't like that. Please...Look at me and try to remember."

Haley looked around the courtyard in search of something. "Where is Lucas? I don't believe Lucas would say you could come bother me."

"Please try to remember me...Its important," Nathan begged.

She looked at him with sympathy and for a short moment remembered him in her bedroom. He was saying that he needed her. Haley grabbed her head and tugged at her hair. "That's not right. That can't be right," she mumbled and slid to her knees. "I wouldn't have let you..." she whispered unheard by Nathan.

"Haley...Haley what's wrong?" Nathan immediately went to her trying to help her stand but she pushed him off.

"Get away from me," she yelled and grabbed her head again.

Her brain took over trying to feed her as many memories as possible. This time Haley saw in her memory Nathan screaming at her in public and her just taking his abuse. She saw him at her house before kissing her but then she also saw him outside the diner where she wouldn't let him in. She saw a romantic diner and him being tutored by her. Haley saw a flash of his angry face in a glass window as it broke. She saw herself yell at him in front of Lucas and not letting him in her house. Finally Haley saw herself at a party Nathan threw and then humiliation of Lucas at various times. That is when she opened her eyes with absolute hate.

Nathan had never seen that expression on Haley's face before. She had been upset with him and even angry but this look struck him as absolute disgust. 

"What the hell have you done to my life?" she yelled getting to her feet again. "How the hell did you get me to be with you? How did you get me to betray Lucas like that when you were so awful?"

By now Lucas was no longer an observer and had come running. "Haley... Haley... what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's WRONG?!" she snapped. "You didn't mention I lost my mind and dated 'that'!" She pointed to Nathan and he looked ready to die at the hate in Haley's voice. "This is the secret...Nathan Scott.  No wonder no one had the courage to tell me."

Lucas decided to be his mother's son and help Nathan. "I know you are upset because you don't understand how things happened...but don't act like this. Nathan loves you...even now."

Nathan swallowed convulsively staring at his brother in an attempt to understand why Lucas was being kind.

"He is a spoil rich kid that can't see past the end of his nose. He was awful to me and to you." Haley spouted unconcerned with Nathan's feelings because as far as she was concerned nothing had changed since September.

"Sometimes yes...and sometimes no...at least with you. He and I have come to an uneasy peace since the accident," Lucas asserted eyeing his brother.

"What accident? He did this! He was outside my window right before it broke. He is the reason I have Swiss cheese for a brain and I am not going to be big about this Lucas." Haley ignored Nathan entirely, "He is Dan's son...and he acts it. He will be the same spoiled rich kid he always has been. He threw a temper tantrum and I got hurt..."

Haley walked up to Nathan who had remained silent. She pushed her finger into the middle of his chest and said, "I don't care who you are or what pull your daddy has. I am not going to let you get away with this. I am going to press charges for assault."

Tears ran down Nathan's face when he shut his eyes. She hated him. Absolutely despised him. It was more than he could bear. "Whatever you want Haley," said in almost no voice.

Haley was unnerved by his tone of his voice and sympathy began to resonate with in her. Lucas seized the opportunity and turned her round to face him. "No Haley. Nathan and the ADA have a good deal worked out. Please don't let your frustration screw that up."

"Why are you defending him?" Haley fumed. "He hurt me. He humiliated you..."

"Because Haley...he's lost a lot...and he didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't see the look on his face..."

Lucas pulled Haley to a bench and sat them down. "Haley, Nathan has had to deal with me getting on the team, Dan riding him to get me to quit, Peyton breaking up with him, being a general dumb-ass about a ton of stuff, constant pressure from Dan, falling for you which he didn't anticipate, taking drugs to keep up with Dan's demands, losing you, and you and I starting to date plus his mother kicked Dan out. That is an awful lot to deal with. Coming by your house and finding me there was tough but coming by later and see you kiss me was more than he could take. You were the one thing in his life that made sense and you were gone by your own choosing."

Nathan grit his teeth. Lucas understood what he was going through even if Nathan didn't want to admit it...and damn if it didn't annoy him. It was so much easier to hate Lucas, but here Lucas was defending him to Haley. Keith was right, he really was the ill-bred one.

"So we just let him get away with it?" Haley snapped. "Just one more time when poor little rich boy gets away with murder."

Lucas shook his head, "No Hales...Nathan went in to the police of his own volition and confessed to do right by you. He is working at the diner to cover for you. He is paying for your hospital bills and mine. Nathan is having to deal with Dan's reaction to the fact he confessed without talking to Dan first...The only silver lining for him is the ADA was able to see what he has to deal with at home due to Dan's out burst at the station...Nathan is not getting away with anything." Lucas touched Haley's bruised brow and said, "As long as you and I don't press charges the violation is vandalism and that shouldn't screw up his chances for colleges but assault is a much bigger deal. See it for what it is...a really stupid mistake... and he is paying for it."

Haley sighed deeply and took in Nathan's distress. "How did we get together and why did we break up?"

Nathan swallowed and said, "You were my tutor...and you believed in me. You made me feel things I never had before."

"I was your tutor...you actually admitted you needed help with something?" Haley questioned. Lucas and Nathan looked at each other. Haley laughed, "Oh I get it. I was a way to get at Lucas and I was too stupid to see it. Well, it won't happen again...So I regained my sanity when?"

Nathan grit his teeth and looked at the ground. He couldn't deal with his relationship with Haley being boiled down to what she was distilling it to.

Lucas looked at his girlfriend and said, "No matter what the reasons it started and what reasons it stopped, you cared very deeply for Nathan...and I know he loves you. Being angry won't change anything."

"But I'm dating you?" Haley asked, wanting to make sure.

Lucas sighed, "You and I started dating the night of the accident. We had a real date to a big fancy party...we..." Lucas looked at his brother in pain knowing it would hurt Nathan. "We told each other 'I love you' for the first time." Nathan turned his head away in pain and anguish. "You and Nathan had only been broken up a few days. Nathan was still trying to get you back that night."

"I see...so you feel guilty about the way things went down...like maybe you did steal me from him so you're cutting him slack," Haley surmised.

Lucas shook his head, "What is wrong with you? I have never seen you be this hateful." 

He looked so confused that Haley breathed deeply and looked on Nathan again. "I'm just so confused and when I get confused I get scared..."

"...and when you get scared you get angry," Nathan whispered quietly.

Both Lucas and Haley looked at Nathan as he began to speak, "I'm sorry." He met Haley's eyes dead on, "I'm sorry for what happened and for the hurt I caused you both. I'm sorry for being so screwed up I lost the best person I have known in my life. I'm sorry that I have missed out on having a brother but mainly a friend. And more than anything I am sorry for being unable to be who you deserve Haley. The only solace I have is that you are with the person who is deserving of your affections."

Nathan swallowed slowly gazing at the couple and knowing this is the way it was supposed to be. "I will always regret you," Nathan slightly smirked. "I guess you were wrong Haley. I did turn out to be Willoughby as I feared and not Colonel Brandon as you hoped." He smiled sadly, "Thank you Haley for everything you gave me. I am a better person for having been with you." With that Nathan turned away.

Haley's eyes filled with tears as she remembered the discussion Nathan was referring to. He had read Sense and Sensibility because she liked the book. "Did you finish it?" she called after him.

Nathan turned back and smiled, "I did." He sighed, "I had to do something to feel connected to you."

Haley nodded, "Then I'll continue being your tutor."

The dark haired boy blinked several times. In almost no voice he said, "Thank you." She nodded again.

Haley looked at Lucas who was sitting quietly before he smiled and said, "He does realize you are more Eleanor than Marianne, doesn't he?"

She smiled, "Yes Edward."

Lucas grinned and kissed her nose. "Let's get you inside. It's late." He took her hand and kissed it before pulling her to her feet. 

The couple made their way back into the building while Nathan watched. "I love you Haley James," he said to the January night. "Even if I'm too late."

Tbc...

Review Please!


	19. Breaking up is hard to do

Title: Breaking up is hard to do

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Sorry for delay. Massive migraines have invaded my world. For five days straight I dealt with the same frickin' migraine. Needless to say I have to see a specialist on Monday. Fun for me!

A/N2: And before anyone asks yes my migraines and amnesia are linked. Like I said, fun for me.

19.

Haley sat in her own room alone for the first time in what seemed like forever...where no one was waiting on her or reading to her. She was just by herself in her room. She felt tired and listless as she looked about her. It was like she had been away from this room since September.

With the knowledge that Nathan Scott was the big secret everyone was avoiding, Haley began to remember incidents more clearly but not always fully. There were times she wondered if this was just her life now...missing time, conversations, and experiences. Experiences...the word stuck in her head. Haley became very afraid she wasn't a virgin anymore. After all she had been dating Nathan Scott.

It was sad really. The guy that had visited her at the hospital wasn't Nathan Scott...just Nathan. But somehow she just couldn't let herself think of him in that way. He had to remain Nathan Scott, basketball player and prick, in order for her to not wonder about him. I mean, why would she have dated him? Haley stared at herself in the mirror and tried to get over the feelings of fear that loomed.

Being with Lucas made things better and worse. He was so patient and loving with her. She could never doubt that she was the sun and moon in his eyes...because he remembered. Lucas remembered the last few months; the weird relationship things and the separate friends stuff. He remembered when they didn't talk so much...but more than anything he remembered the winter break where everything changed. 

Everyday Lucas would look at her like maybe today was the day she would remember falling in love with him and everyday it broke his heart a little more when she didn't remember. Haley was beginning to feel guilty that she couldn't remember and Lucas felt guilty that he was making her feel that way. Problem was Lucas knew that Haley did have feelings for him; she just wasn't in love with him. The 'eureka' moment was gone and so everything else felt sort of forced. It was funny because at the hospital she clung to him like a lifeline but now that she was home she was shy of him.

A soft knock came at her door, causing Haley to turn around. "You okay honey?" her mother asked.

"No...not really." Jessica motioned for them to sit on Haley's bed. "It's like the last few months have been a dream and I only remember bits and pieces." She ran her hands through her hair.

"What do you want to know that you can't tell yourself?" her mother asked.

"Huh?"

"Your journal honey...read your journal. It should tell you what you were thinking and feeling."

"Yeah but...I don't like what I was feeling," Haley admitted quietly.

It took Jessica a moment to catch on. "Are you afraid that if you read your journal you will develop feelings for Nathan?" The teen nodded. Her mother sighed, "Haley, you and Luke have known each other a really long time. You love him. It's a fact...like your birthday." Haley stared at her mother. 

"Look honey, you and Luke got where you are because for a little while you didn't have each other. You realized what you were missing. Nathan is the reason why you fell for Lucas."

"How do you know? Luke said we didn't together until the night of the accident," she inquired.

"Yeah but honey...you spent your entire winter break with one another and blew everyone else off. You were at his house or he was here almost every moment of every day. He was your touchstone when you broke up with Nathan. He always gave you space when it came to Nathan even though it killed him a little every time he saw you together...You need to talk to Lucas about this."

"I know...but I don't know how."

"How about you start with, 'Lucas I love you and want everything to be perfect,' and end with, 'but I'm afraid if I start letting myself remember I might like Nathan again.' He's not stupid Haley. He knows something is wrong."

"I hate this. I don't feel like I can relax or be or..." she said as she started to move about.

Suddenly her mind filled with Lucas's voice, "Relax," she remembered he had whispered as he helped her line up her shot on the basketball court. He had moved her hips into the right stance and rubbed her shoulders. "It's supposed to be fun." Haley was remembering one of the moments they were together on break. She could still feel the way his body fit behind hers as he laid his arms over top of her arms before shooting. "See... Fun," he had said hotly right below her ear.

"Honey," Jessica called.

"Sorry," Haley bit her lip.

"You remembered something?" The teen nodded. "A good something?" Haley nodded again. "Good...Lucas is on his way over. Spent time together like you would have before you started dating. You'll start feeling it."

Another soft knock came at the door and there was the boy in question...gray hooded sweatshirt, hair in all array, and a cautious smile on his face. "No one answered so I tried the door."

Jessica walked to her daughter's CD player, which was set near the door where Lucas stood. "You are always welcome...but you know that," she said with a smile. She riffled through CD's as she continued, "My daughter, Lord bless her, and I were talking about the doctor's statement that her memory would come back more easily if she would relax." Jessica triumphantly held up an instrumental CD and put it in to play. "Now your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to aid my daughter in that process..."

Luke smirked, "Just don't self destruct on me."

She chuckled and kissed his cheek as she left the room, "Might try reminding her how to use her feet. The formal is fast approaching."

The words lingered in the air as Haley shrank into herself, seeming to be smaller than she actually was. Lucas looked on with worry and sat on her bed next to her immediately. "What's wrong, hun?"

She swallowed nervously, but when Lucas reached out his hand to touch her face she moved off the bed and wrapped her arms around herself. Now Luke swallowed nervously. Haley had been a bit skittish at first at the hospital but since she came home...scratch that- since she re-met Nathan she had been distancing herself from him.

Lucas knew what he had to do although he hated it and the mere thought brought him to tears but if there was any way for them to remain friends he had to do something now before things got worse. So Lucas took a deep breath and said, "Haley I think we should break up."

Haley turned toward him in utter shock, "What? Why?"

His face crumbled, "Because I'm losing you. I can't even touch you in the normal way I used to without you pulling away..." He grit his teeth hard, "I know you don't remember but the night we got together, I told you I could handle anything but you bailing on me. And whether you want to admit it or not you are so far from me that you aren't talking to me, you aren't all there when we are together, and..." his voice cracked and he cast his gaze from her. She could see his heart was breaking as he spoke. Lucas met Haley's eyes and began again whispering, "You won't even let me touch your cheek."

Lucas shut his eyes and let tears run down his face, "I told you before we started this that I had a lot more to lose than you did. I have mom, Keith, basketball, and you. I told you that night that I would give up basketball as long as I knew I could keep you forever, and it's killing me to see you afraid of me."

Haley was next to him in a minute. The whole time he was talking she was flashing between the present and their discussion in front of the hearth. She decided that what worked that night might be best employed again. Haley sat on Lucas's lap, wrapped her arms around his neck both hands on the nape, and she kissed him long and slow.

Lucas pushed back a bit, "Don't...Please don't. Lets just..."

"Shut up Luke," Haley said with a smile. "So this time it wasn't a moments hesitation. It was a real hesitation. You can live with that." Luke's eyes went big with the implication of her words. She was beginning to remember that night. "I'm not scared of you...I'm not," Haley said looking directly in his eyes. "I'm scared of me."

"What? Why?" he repeated her earlier sentiments.

Haley stood up and paced a bit to the soft instrumentals in the background. "I understand dating you. That makes sense… I love you. You love me. That makes senses too...Nathan does not make senses. And I'm just afraid that if I let myself remember him or us as a couple it will mess things up with you and I now...and I don't want that," she said looking at him. "No matter what I have been acting like toward you and how irrational the behavior may be...its not you... I want this. I do. I just don't know when I started wanting this." Lucas looked on in curiosity. "I don't remember how we got here and I don't remember when we weren't talking all the time so it seems weird on my end...cause hey went to sleep with a best friend and woke with a guy in love with me." There was a stressed moment where they both stared.

Lucas rose to his feet to stand before her. "I am, you know? -In love with you," he whispered as he leaned down to kiss her.

This time she didn't pull away at all. "I know," she answered and pushed herself up into his lips. Haley reached an arm up and twined in the back of Lucas hair before running her tongue along the seam of his lips. Lucas's eyes opened in shock for a second as he gasped allowing Haley to gain the access she wanted. He closed his eyes again and slid his hands to the small of her back bringing her closer to him.

Lucas was overwhelmed with emotion. It felt real. They felt real and right again, for the first time since the accident. He pulled away just enough to say against her mouth, "I love you Haley. I love you so much," before diving back in taking control of the kiss.

After only a moment Haley pushed back a fraction to whisper, "I love you too," and then begin kissing anew.

Luke pulled away from Haley to look into her eyes, "Please don't say that to make me happy or because you think you're supposed to. That's a lie on the worst scale. Please don't do that to me...I would much prefer a 'maybe someday but not yet' than a lie to spare my feelings." His eyes begged her to understand. 

Haley smiled softly and stared him directly in the eyes, "I love you Lucas...and now mine is more honest than yours because I said it to you not mumbled against my lips." Lucas's eyes got big again. "I remember Luke...not everything...but enough. I know I love you." A smile spread across her face that he hadn't seen since before the accident...even probably before break.

Lucas couldn't help himself. He laughed, picked Haley up and twirled her around the room. Haley laughed hard, "Stop, stop, stop Lucas. You're making me dizzy."

"Sorry," he said brushing her hair behind her ear. "Just excited." She smiled that wonderful smile again. "I should break up with you more often...could have saved myself and you some really uncomfortable visits."

She shook her head, "Nope. The world is right on time. I needed to remember at my own rate. I don't think I would have remembered before now. I needed to get my head together about what I was really afraid of."

"Haley, don't worry about remembering Nathan...You liked him. He liked you. There isn't a lot to it besides the normal teenage angst slash romance stuff... I'm still confident you would choose me," Luke said with his hands wrapped around her waist. 

"And I don't need to worry over Peyton or Brooke because they were just new and different, right?" Haley asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lucas grimaced, "So...how much of my bad behavior do you remember and how much were you informed of?" 

"Enough...but I do remember you telling me that I was worth 100 hundred Peyton's in love with you and 1000 Brooke's naked in the back of your car. So I'll take you at your word."

Luke smirked at her and Haley smirked right back before tugging him forward with his shirt for a kiss. 

"Love you," he said as he held her tight. 

"Love you too..." Haley rested her head on Lucas's shoulder and knew she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

Tbc...

A/N: Sorry guys I've caught up with myself so I have no more written ahead chapters that means it will be longer between chapters. Luckily I am on the tail end of the story two or three more chapters left. 

REVIEW PLEASE!


	20. Monthiversary

Title: Monthiversary

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG-13

20.

            Peyton Sawyer's video cam showed a blonde, brunette, and red head on her bed together goofing off as Lucas watched with enjoyment. 

            "Pick a color," Jake mocked over Luke's shoulder. 

            "I have thank you," Lucas stated a bit miffed.

            "So…" Jake said looking at his fingers.

            Luke swiveled in his chair to his friend, "So…"

"You wouldn't mind then if I say…"

            "…asked Ms. Sawyer to the formal she doesn't have a date to because she keeps turning down guys in hopes that you will ask her or at least ask her to spend that evening baby-sitting your daughter with you?" the blonde basketball player finished. 

            Jake eyed him, "She's really turned down other guys hoping I'll ask her?"

            Luke raised an eyebrow, "This is the conversation…and I quote, 'Lucas can you please get the unwed father to ask Peyton out before I hear one more time how she doesn't really think he likes her…' end quote."

            "So how do you know about…" Jake asked before Lucas hit him with a pillow. 

            "I am a friend of hers. Hailey is friends with her. I watch as other guys come and ask. I watch other guys get shut down. I watch as Brooke and Haley console her on your idiocy so yeah I think I know."

            "So…" Jake started. "I'll ask her after I leave here."

            "Or you ask while you're waiting…one of the two."

* * *

            "I cannot believe Tim bailed on me to go with another girl to the dance," Brooke complained as Peyton painted her toenails. 

            "Calm down," her best friend soothed. "Nathan offered to take you." 

            Haley lay on her stomach across Peyton's bed looking through one of Peyton sketch collections. "Yeah…he's been ultra nice lately." Both cheerleaders laughed. "What's so funny?"

            Peyton smirked, "You're speaking with authority that you don't have…This is what Nathan was behaving like with you." Then she thought a moment, "When he wasn't being spastic or verbally abusive."

            Haley chuckled. "But now I'm with Lucas," she chirped happily knocking her feet together in the air. 

            Both cheerleaders grinned at her. "It's nice to see you this happy," the blond commented.

            "Yeah. We were beginning to think that scowl was going to be permanent," Brooke stated before blowing air at her wet toenails. 

            The telephone rang. "Peyton's house of horrors. You name the twisted fantasy, we provide the back drop," Brooke said in a jovial tone.

            "I would like to talk to my girlfriend," Lucas said smoothly. 

            Brooke sat up, "How do you know she's here?"

            "I can see her swinging her feet back and forth in the air on Peyton's bed," Lucas commented staring at his computer screen with Jake in the background laughing.

            "Ha-lee," Brooke sing-songed. "Lu-cus wants ya."

Haley cracked up and took the phone. "Hey babe," she said twisting her body to look into the camera. 

"Hey…just wanted to reach out and touch someone but you're there so I'm alone."

In the background she heard someone fuss, "What am I chopped liver?" The muffled response of, "Somehow I don't think you want me to reach out and touch you," Haley began to giggle. "Point taken," was retorted before Lucas came back to the phone. 

"So…you coming over here later?" he asked nervously.

She tilted her head looking at the camera, "I hadn't planned on it. I thought I told you I was going to have a girl's night?"

"Yeah well the thing is…its kinda our anniversary…or monthiversary…" Lucas began.

"Give me a minute," Haley stated before setting the phone down, throwing a t-shirt over the camera, and looking at her friends.

"What's up tutor girl? You look ready to have an aneurysm…and with the head injury of late that ain't a good thing," Brooke said matter-of-factly.

"It sounds like Lucas wants to celebrate our one month anniversary," Haley commented with big eyes. 

Peyton smirked, "Go. We can pine away for men alone."

"I mean you don't need to hear the saga of Jake again."

"Ya sure? I mean I really have been having a good time…I'm not trying to bail," the red head stated in concern. 

"We don't think you're bailing on us. Just go…have a good time. Let us live vicariously through you," Brooke said sweetly. 

"We're not bailing on you either Haley…so have a good time," Peyton encouraged. Brooke nodded too.

Haley picked the phone back up and uncovered the camera, "Okay…I'll be there soon."

"Oh good…good…that's good," Lucas sighed in relief. Employing Peyton and Brooke to help him distract Haley enough to set up his special dinner was still a bit weird due to how weird things had been between them. "I'll see you soon. Luv you."

"Luv you too," she responded. 

Lucas hung up the phone breathing deeply while Jake sat strumming his guitar with his costume for the evening which was really just a nice suit lay next to him.

Lucas realized her had made some pretty awesome friends in the last few months by what they were willing to do on a whim for him. Peyton had hand made the menus for dinner. Brooke had volunteered a fancy dress that was now too small for her to be Haley's outfit for the evening. While both girls were happy to be the distraction while the house preparations were made. Karen had made Haley's favorite meal, as well as appetizers and dessert. Jake heard the plan and decided to get into the act by playing background music for the couple as they ate. Now all Lucas had to do was make it through the next half and hour and he would be fine.

* * *

            "Man, quit it. You're making me nervous," Jake chastised his buddy who was pacing back and forth in his room.

            "I feel like a girl," Lucas muttered shaking his hands out in front of him. 

"Bet you've never put this much effort into a date before either?" his buddy asked. 

"No…but Haley's worth it."

"Good."

"Hello?" Haley called beginning to push Lucas's bedroom door open before the blond basketball player pushed on the other side preventing her entrance and motioning Jake to remain against the wall. "Luke, what are you doing?" Haley fussed through the door. 

"I forgot you would come in through my door…Go on to the front please," he muttered.

"You're being weird," she informed him.

Lucas knocked his head against the door, "Please…just go in the front."

"Fine."

"Brilliant," Jake scolded. "You're starting off on the wrong foot."

"Shut up," Lucas huffed and straightened his sleeves for the tenth time. 

"It will be fine. I'll hang here until your mom gets me," Jake offered.

"Thanks man," Lucas responded.

"No big. Gives me a chance to snoop…joking…joking," the father said to his friend who looked suddenly concerned. "Your porno is safe with me."

Lucas rolled his eyes and tossed Jake a book. "Till we have faces by CS Lewis. You trying to tell me something?"

"Read the damn book or ask Peyton out…your choice," the blond said and left the room.

* * *

            Haley came through the front door to see a table set up in the living room, all the other furniture was pushed out of the way, and the room was lit with only candles and Christmas tree lights. She smiled broadly at the sight. 

            Keith approached as the host of the private party in a suit and tie. "Madame…we were told you would be arriving. Your attire however is not smart enough for our establishment. Please adjourn to the chef's quarters where you will find an outfit worthy of our eatery," he said in a decidedly bad English accent. Haley raised an eyebrow but did as she was told. 

In Karen's room there was a black dress that was sheer and simple. It had sleeveless thin straps, with black gauze-like material over a black slip dress. The shirt portion was shorter in the front reaching just above her knees and longer in the back, which hit her mid calf. Haley slipped the dress on and discovered immediately that this dress fit a little too well. It hugged her body the way it was designed to but it still made her a bit nervous. She had never worn a dress that forced her chest into a position that cleavage could be seen. 

Haley found a pair of Karen's black pumps that she could borrow for the evening. She took her hair out of the ponytail it was in and brushed her auburn locks out. A little lip-gloss, eye shadow and blush later, Haley decided it was time to face herself in the mirror and she was dumbstruck. She had one of those epiphany moments that very few people are privileged enough to have. It is the moment where we can see ourselves the way others do. Her face was basically the same and so was her hair. She was showing off her body more than normal but in that moment the long held picture of herself at twelve with braids vanished. Haley saw the woman she was becoming and she smiled. This would be the new mental image of herself she would carry. 

"Thanks, Lucas," Haley whispered and headed for the door.

* * *

            Haley returned to the entry -way to see Keith turn back toward her and swallow his tongue for a moment before recovering. "Well, Madame," he said staring down, "You obviously found something appropriate to wear."

            She was ready to poke fun at his fluster but let the matter drop when she saw that Lucas was now standing by the table waiting for her to join him. 

Luke was wearing his dark suit with no tie with his hair perfectly gelled up. He was swallowing nervously and wringing his hands. Haley let her soft smile come through. Her baby was nervous. 

Haley turned her attention back to the older man before her. "Thank you Keith. I see my party. Have a good evening," she said and walked confidently into the living room to face her boyfriend. 

Lucas's eyes got wider the closer she approached. If he had known the dress would be that form fitting he would have requested a bigger dress. And by the conspicuous smirk appearing on Haley's face Luke began to wonder if the dress had magical properties that would allow Brooke to possess Haley. He shook his head and breathed deep… It was going to be a long and frustrating dinner…with eyestrain. 

Haley practically strutted to Lucas's side knowing full well that her appearance was as much a surprise to Lucas as it had been to her. She wondered if he too always saw her as twelve with braids. All that mattered at that moment was that Lucas was looking at her the way he had Peyton and Brooke. He saw her as a real girl. While he may have shown an attraction to her at the hospital and never wavered in his attentions of her since she woke up this was the first time Haley could comprehend what he was seeing in her…This was going to be fun.

Tbc…

A/N: I decided to add some more chapters due to the favorable response. There will be at least one chapter for this dinner, one chapter pre-formal, one chapter at the formal, and most likely one chapter post formal. At least that is the plan for now. 

REVIEW PLEASE!


	21. Dinner

Title: Dinner

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG-13

21.

Keith escaped to the kitchen where upon he immediately poured himself a glass of wine. Karen stared as he drained the cup rather quickly. It may have been a small glass but still. "Something wrong Keith?" she asked with a slight smirk knowing what his troubles were having seen the dress Haley was wearing.

Setting the glass aside he glared, "Shut up." 

Karen chuckled, "Little girls grow up and become big girls Keith." 

"Like I said...shut up." She was getting far too much fun out of this. 

"Just wait until you see one of Lucas's college buddy's without his t-shirt on in a few years...then I'll be laughing."

She continued to smirk, "Yeah but they won't be someone I have watched grow up...and besides men are much more likely to react," she gestured toward him, "in this manner than a woman."

"All I know is I will be there to laugh when it happens to you."

"Well I should hope so," Karen stated leaning on the counter. 

Keith sidled up next to her, and then moved more fully into her personal space. "You hope so?" he asked quietly trapping her with one arm on each side of her. 

Karen adjusted her body posture so she was standing between his outstretched arms bringing them into a far more intimate position. She averted her eyes for a moment as she said, "Does that mean you want be around...even after Lucas is away at school?" Her eyes met his on the last part.

He smiled lightly. "What do you think?" he whispered before kissing her gently. Karen's arms left her sides to wrap around Keith's neck before she intensified the kiss. 

After a few minutes of acting like teenagers on a date they pulled away. "Wow," she whispered and leaned her forehead to his chin cherishing the feeling of him holding her protectively. 

"Yeah," he said breathlessly with a small smile. 

"I need to go out and check on them before it's your turn." Keith leaned away a second. "You," he kissed the tip of her nose, "stay here. I'll be right back..." He kissed each of her eyelids, "...And I can keep showering you with affection."

"Okay," she said with a big smile and hugged him close before pushing him out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hailey smirked, "They just quit."

"Thank you for updating me as to my mother and uncle's tryst in the kitchen..." Lucas groused. 

"Oh come on...its sweet. They're sweet."

"So are we, but I seriously doubt either of them wants to hear about or think about us making out."

"I don't know...Keith seemed to like my dress," Hailey smiled evilly.

"You're bad."

Keith entered the room with a pitcher of water and the menus. "Sir...Madame..." Each received their menu while Keith poured. "Please enjoy your time with us. The chef will be out momentarily. Have a good evening," and he exited the room once more.

Hailey handled her menu a bit, "Are these a Sawyer original?"

Lucas examined it as if it were the first time he seen it, "Looks like."

She smirked, "They're lovely. I will have to thank the artist...and the chef. This is my favorite."

"Good...the desert is my favorite. I guess the chef must like us a lot."

Hailey rolled her eyes, "That was lame."

Lucas smiled, "Why thank you." He reached across the table to play with her fingers. She grinned softly almost shyly. 

They looked up to see Karen in a full chef's uniform white hat and all. She wore a smile twitching her nose slightly and presented a Caesar salad to each of them. "Good evening," she said in a fake French accent cracking both teens up. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jake looked at the scene from the kitchen with Keith. "They're sweet together, aren't they?"

"Always have been," Keith commented. "I'm so glad he woke up before he did something stupid."

"Do you mean Brooke or Peyton?" Jake asked cautiously. 

Keith smiled, "Peyton is nice...just complicated. But you don't know anything about that do you, dad?"

The teen smiled, "Am I that obvious?"

"No...Lucas is that vocal. 'When is he going to get off his ass and do something?' Then I remind him he didn't exactly go at lightening speed and that generally shuts him up. Besides if he had he wouldn't be out there now...this is better."

Karen walked in and took off her hat dramatically. "Give them till they finish their salads and then play away." Both men smiled at her. "What?"

"You forgot to take off the fake mustache," Keith said with a chuckle. 

Jake laughed too. "It looks a bit funny."

"Well I was not about to mess with the stupid gum to stick it on again, was I?" she said in a huff.

"Just don't expect a kiss with that thing on," Keith warned. 

Karen stuffed her hair back under the hat, "Fine. I will remember that when you have the desire to grow a beard again."

Jake blinked rapidly looking to Keith who stared at his feet to avoid the teen's smirk. "I thought Luke said you two weren't involved."

Karen's eyes got big having been caught out. "Let's just keep this to ourselves for now, okay?"

"Fine," the basketball player said with a chuckle. "I'm on," he murmured grabbing his stool and guitar. 

Keith snagged Karen before she followed so he could kiss her cheek. "I'll always want to kiss you," he whispered bringing a pretty blush to her cheeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucas was kissing Haley's knuckles when Jake nonchalantly sat himself down with his guitar in the corner and began to play his guitar. Hailey turned her head to see where the music had come from as Karen removed their salad plates and replaced them with the main course. 

"We are having live entertainment?" she asked her boyfriend quietly.

"He offered. Who am I to refuse?" Lucas explained.

"So your mom made the food, Keith is our host and drink man, Peyton made our menus, Jake is our dinner music...Brooke did what? Occupied me?"

Lucas cleared his throat and then pointed to her dress while sipping water. 

Hailey smirked, "I should have known your mom would never own something this form fitting." She laughed, "So when does Cinderella turn back into the servant?"

Lucas looked at her confused, "Is that what this feels like? That Peyton and Brooke are your evil step-sisters?"

Hailey stopped for a moment and thought. She shrugged, "Maybe a little." Luke's face began to darken. "I'm sorry. I don't remember it all. I can know we're friends and see the proof of it...but yeah it feels forced sometimes." He stared dumbfounded at the lack of connection Hailey seemed to have toward her girlfriends.

Hailey grit her teeth and refused to look at him, "Most of the time I feel like their charity case or pet project."

"Hailey..." Lucas murmured upset at the revelation. "They are your..."

"They're your ex's," she snapped quietly so Jake wouldn't hear but staring Luke in the eye as she said it. "For god sake you will always have the proof of that on your shoulder...at least for Brooke."

Lucas was stunned. This was not the way he wanted this night to go at all. He had no idea she felt that insecure about Brooke and Peyton. "What can I do?" he said reaching for her hand. "What can I do to make you feel more secure in us? I mean that was part of tonight." He took her hand into both of his running his fingertips over her palm randomly looking obviously spooked.

"Why haven't you told me you love me since the day we nearly broke up?" she whispered staring straight at her plate of untouched food. 

Now Lucas was absolutely floored. He turned it over in his head a few times before he accepted that she was correct. He hadn't said it since that night in her room. "I... I don't know," he answered as he watched her shoulders sag in reaction. "But that doesn't change the fact that I do." 

Lucas could tell Hailey was angered by his words by the way she tugged at her napkin. "What are you really angry about Hales?" 

That was it. Hailey had had enough. She threw her napkin on the table and stood up to leave. 

Luke was up in a second grabbing her arm, "Tell me."

"Alright...you want to know why I am upset? Fine. You don't have one girlfriend Lucas you have three." He looked at her like she had struck him, but he wanted to understand so who was she to deprive him. "You are there with open arms for Peyton as each new trauma comes up. You are always there to provide the stability that they both need...It used to be that you and I would have lunch together, alone and yet now they are always there. We're like a friggin harem. And the worst part is I like them...I really do. I can't exactly blame them for wanting to be around a decent guy...but damnit you're supposed to be my decent guy not community property."

Jealousy was a good thing in one way because it meant Hailey really liked him and didn't want to share him. Bad part was she was right. Lucas may not have been kissing the other girls but they were pretty inseparable these days. 'No wonder Jake felt the need to get permission to ask Peyton out,' Luke thought to himself. He had at least emotionally cheated on his girlfriend unintentionally at the very least. He couldn't lose Hailey...he just couldn't.

"Hailey...I'm sorry. I had no idea you felt that way or that things were coming off that way." Lucas wrapped his arms around her and waited until her arms were twinned behind his neck to speak again. "We'll start having our lunches alone again...I'll...We'll see them less. I will always have you with me if things..."

She pushed back to look at him, "I don't want them to a loose you as a friend. I just want...I don't know what I want."

Lucas cupped her face, "They won't be getting much alone time with me and you will be getting a whole lot of one or one attention." He rubbed his nose to hers before kissing her lips lightly, "How does that sound?"

"Perfect," she responded hugging him closer again. 

Jake picked up the pace so that they could actually dance to his music. The coupled held close while swaying to the beat. 

"I love you Hailey...don't ever doubt that," Lucas pled. "Don't give up on me either. I may not have all the answers or know how to do this yet but I will do just about anything to keep you," he said staring into her eyes. "I love you...not anybody else...not even close."

Hailey smiled brightly, "I love you too, Lucas...I promise to let you know before things build up inside me like that again." She was sheepish as she finished and kissed him sweetly. 

After a long moment she whispered, "Our food is getting cold."

"The chef can reheat it," Luke answered unwilling to relinquish Hailey from his arms just yet.

Tbc...

A/N: The next chapter might be short or long. I have an idea and I can't decide if I should play it out or not. I don't know-you guys want to see Jake ask Peyton out? A few other things will happen like a H/L make out scene most likely. Yes? No? Review with the answer or email me either way. 

REVIEW!


	22. Evening activities

Title: Evening activities

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG-13

22.

            Haley and Lucas had decided to go to the quarry to dance by the sound of the radio so Jake's role in the evening was over. He went back into Lucas's room to pick up the book Luke had recommended when he caught a glimpse of the blond he was finding himself drawn to still on the computer monitor. He had watched her and Brooke talk while he waited for his turn in the evening's activities. Now as he stared at the screen Peyton was alone in her room looking almost lost. Jake took a deep breath and decided it was time to re-enter the dating scene. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Brooke called to Peyton from the bathroom, "So you think Tutor Girl is going to give it up tonight?"

            "Brooke, that's just crude…and besides I don't think either one is really ready for that…not after the accident."

            "Whatever," the brunette said exiting the bathroom sporting a new dress. "So…what do you think?"

            Peyton smirked, "I think Nathan's eyes are going to be straining to stay looking at your face and not your cleavage."

            "That was the look I was going for."

            The blond sat back, "Why? I mean, I know you were all about Lucas and Nathan was all about Hailey but you both have changed because of them…why slide back to old roles?"

            "Lucas didn't want me," Brooke countered.

            Peyton shook her head, "Lucas didn't want the drama. He likes you just fine. He would have taken Hailey and split if he didn't think you were awesome…especially when she gets jealous of us."

            "Hailey gets jealous of us?" 

            "Oh yeah," Peyton said with a chuckle. "You should pay more attention…in fact we should probably give them some space." Brooke nodded. "Besides Nathan has been really nice to you. He knows how much the situation sucks for you both. He'd come around more if things weren't so strained with the old married couple, we refer to as Luke and Hales."

            She nodded and considered a moment. "And things are getting ugly with his parents divorce. I think Nathan might actually quit the team until things settle down," Brooke commented.

            "Whoa…where'd you hear this?"

            Brooke shrugged, "Nathan…we talked last night."

            "On the telephone?" Peyton wanted to clarify.

            "Yeah…so…" 

            "Brooke…you may be seeing the transformation of Nathan Scott into a decent human. I think you might like who he becomes," Peyton stated drawing again.

            She looked at her friend skeptically, "Like dating wise?"

            "Who knows? Stranger things have happened."

            "Yeah…like Nathan and Hailey," Brooke joked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jake arrived on Peyton's front stoop just as Brooke was opening the door to leave, backing out as she went. She yelled back up the stairs, "Don't worry Peyton. Jake will grow some balls soon." Brooke nearly bumped into Jake as she turned around. She eyed him a moment then yelled again, "Maybe sooner than you think."

Brooke planted her hand in the middle of Jake's chest and pushed him back away from the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Getting some balls, as you so eloquently put it," he replied.

An index finger was stuck in the middle of his chest. "Don't jerk her around… okay?" she scolded.

"Okay…Can I go see her now?" Jake asked.

"Alright but you are still in the penalty box for taking so long." He nodded. "Her room is up the stairs on the left."

Jake gave a small smile, "Thanks Brooke."

"Get going."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            A soft knock got Peyton's attention. "What did you forget Brooke? You're never this polite," the blond said as she opened her bedroom door. 

            The shocked look on Peyton's face made Jake regret waiting so long to come by or call when there was an obvious attraction between them. "Ummm… Brooke told me which one was yours. I hope this is okay," he said sheepishly. 

            Peyton shook herself. "Yeah…yeah…fine. Um…come on in," she said quickly.

            "So," he murmured. "Where's the camera?"

            "What?" Peyton said confused then realized what he meant. "Oh. There but…" she threw a t-shirt over the camera, "Now its taken care of."

            "Thanks. Makes me a little unnerved thinking of who could be watching."

            She smirked, "Why? You been watching?" 

Peyton was startled to discover that Jake was blushing. "Umm…yeah actually. Earlier…Lucas left it on while he and Hailey ate."

She motioned him to sit, "How'd dinner go?" 

Jake rather uncomfortably sat rather far from Peyton on her bed. "It…it went well. She was a knock out in Brooke's dress. Lucas's uncle had his eyes about pop out of his head."

"Brooke will be so pleased." 

There was a lull for a moment before Jake cleared his throat, "Did you know Lucas's mom is dating his uncle?"

Peyton chuckled, "I suspected they were headed that way from things Hailey and Lucas had said at lunch." She looked at her hands, "You should really join us some time."

Jake smiled softly, "I'd like that. Normally I'm so beat from being up with Jenny I just sack out…"

"Oh…don't feel like you have to or anything," Peyton said quickly.

He continued, "…But with such a lovely offer of your company I think I could find the time."

Peyton smiled a little then bit her lip.

"So…"

"So…" They teens stared at each other a long awkward moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The trucks lights illuminated the basketball court while the radio served as jukebox. They had both changed back into jeans and t-shirts for comfort. It had started with simply wanting to be away from the audience at the house. Their dancing had slid into kissing and things were now moving into groping on the court.

Hailey was on tiptoes kissing Lucas over and over while he held her protectively. His hands caressed her back and rear while he took her in through touch, taste and smell. Most rational thought was escaping him as his tongue dueled Hailey's. 

            She bit his lip lightly. "Hmmm…Hales…oh…" he murmured against her mouth.

            "Liked that huh?" she questioned scraping her nails down the back of his neck while trailing a gentle finger over his lips. 

            "Ahuh…more…" he whispered and started kissing Hailey anew. His hand stole under the hem of her shirt so his palm ran up and down her back on bare skin. 

            "That feels…amazing," she gasped slightly as his fingernails scratched down her spine. She threw back her head giving Lucas the segue he wanted to kiss her neck. 

He was in a daze until he bit down on Hailey's neck and it caused her to claw his hips to bring them closer. The insistent circular motion she began to do against him, nearly drove Lucas insane. 

"We have…we have to stop…take a break or something," he panted. Hailey nodded her head even as she kept rocking against him. "I'm serious Hailey," he said gently removing her hands from his hips.

"Sorry," she whispered shame faced looking down.

"Don't be," he answered leading her face up with his finger. 

"Things just started moving fast…I like…I mean, I'm sixteen…of course I like…I just want it different…That make sense?"

Hailey smiled smugly, "You love me and want my first time to be special…not groping in a park."

"Uh…Hailey…" Lucas began with a curious expression. "Our first time…not just yours…remember?"

She drew her hands up his shoulders, "I thought you and Brooke…"

His eyes went big, "Brooke…you thought me and Brooke…"

"Well you did get drunk and a tattoo besides seriously making out with her…I thought maybe you did more than make out?" Hailey half shrugged.

"No…" Lucas said sternly. 

"But…"

"No," he said again. "I opted out of the drama before it got that far."

Hailey looked down, "And Peyton?" She whispered, "You can't deny that you would have had sex with her…"

Lucas clamped his eyes shut, "No I can't…but it doesn't matter. This is us now."

Her big eyes found his, "Are you sure it doesn't matter?"

Luke sighed, "She came back remember? I didn't bite. I spent break with you… I chose you."

The smile returned to Hailey's face, "Yeah…you did." She pulled Lucas into another dozy of a kiss that made his toes curl. 

He rested his forehead to hers, "The knots you tie me in…"

The radio played Iris by the Goo-Goo Dolls in the background as they danced in slow circles enjoying the night. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Peyton sat with her pillow in her lap laughing at Jake's last comment. He had been there almost an hour and was really enjoying himself. He had seen some of her sketches including one she had done of Jenny while Peyton had watched her. By now they were sitting closer together on the bed just chatting. 

            For Jake's part he was happy. Peyton was cool. She didn't treat him weird because he had a daughter…in fact she really liked Jenny. Peyton laughed at the right places in his stories, bit her lip when she didn't know what to say and they shared the most amazing eye contact. He barely blinked while they gazed at one another.

            "So…Peyton," Jake began. "Do…Do you have plans for the winter formal?"

            Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. "No…I don't."

            "Oh…" he knew she was going to say that but he half expected her to say 'we could go together' or something. But she didn't which meant he did have to ask…AND that just sucked. The next time Jenny's mom called and asked him point blank if he had asked anyone out-- the way she did each time they talked-- he would have to say yes. While on paper it was no big…it would be very big to the mother of his child…a child she abandoned but their child no less. 

            All these things passed through his head and shown in his eyes while they sat in silence. Peyton hadn't a clue what to do. For a moment it seemed so certain that Jake was going to ask her but then it was like he freaked.

            Peyton tilted her head to the side to watch his inner turmoil. "Jake…this doesn't have to be a big deal if you aren't ready… We could go as friends…or not at all. Just spend the evening watching a movie with Jenny or something… You aren't asking me to be your daughter's step-mom, just someone to pass the time with."

            Jake turned to her, put his hand on her cheek bringing her lips to his in the most perfect, simple, brief kiss Peyton had ever received. "Thank you," he whispered stroking his thumb along her cheekbone before kissing her again. "Thank you for understanding something I'm still trying to wrap my head around." 

            Peyton stared at him a moment with hitched breath. She was sure any moment now she would freak like she had with Lucas. The terror of the seriousness in Jake's eyes would make her run in just another minute…but another minute past and they were still staring at each other. 

Suddenly Jake's face broke out in a smile and he kissed the tip of her nose. "Let's do whatever you want." He snuggled her down in his arms with her head on his shoulder and she felt safe. Safe…what a novelty? 

Peyton's eyes began to tear and she hugged his middle. "Pizza and a movie… maybe a party after the formal," she sniffled.

"We have a plan," Jake replied. 

Jake looked down at the girl curled in his arms and remembered holding Jenny's mom like this when she first found out she was pregnant. "She…she left Peyton," he mumbled. "She didn't want to be a mom but…I didn't want her to have an abortion." He swallowed shallowly while he tried to gather his thoughts. "I just want you to know that I am serious about my relationships and I know that scares you so I'll do my best not to…"

Peyton put her finger on his lips. "Not tonight…tonight we just enjoy the comfort of being with someone who gets it."

Jake gave a small smile and kissed her temple. 

TBC…

A/N: Okay so it was heavy on the Jake/Peyton front. I doubt they will get another chapter. Then again this whole story is going longer than I planned. For those of you who want to see Nathan return I suggest you send me (Julianna@ziplip.com) ideas on how to do that…Ideas that will be believable with this story. So far the only thing I got is the formal itself. Oh well. We'll see. Inspiration has struck before when I was sure my gargoyles were dead. (Normal people say their muse is what inspires them…I say the four gargoyles in my bedroom that came with my husband into our marriage are what whisper the most bizarre plot twists to me in my sleep. I never claimed to be normal.)

PLEASE REVIEW!


	23. Friday night fun

Title: Friday night fun

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Sorry for the delay. It's been a rough week. 

23.

Nathan watched Hailey and Lucas sit under a tree in the courtyard at their school. They were each reading in their own little worlds. Hailey was seated between Luke's legs and was happily leaning back on him. Every once in a while they would comment to each other bringing forth a laugh or smirk. They fit together so easily. 

Tim had been trying to cheer Nathan up but his parents' divorce was getting ugly and he wished things were different. Brooke sat down next to him with a thump, "Ya know, I really hope we can distract each other tonight or we're going to keep mooning over people we can't have."

"Thanks Brooke," he said with a smile. "I'm glad we're going together too."

"Why don't we move slowly to the old married couple? Proximity might be good to just get comfortable with," the brunette offered.

"You're right...It's just still weird."

"It'll stay weird with no practice...Let's go."

Peyton sat next to Jake, who was lying down with a book over his head, at one of the tables in the courtyard. "Hey...ya want to quiet down...I'm trying to sleep," Jake snipped at Hailey and Lucas who were tickling one another. Peyton just laughed at the pitiful expression each made. 

"Sorry Jake," Hailey said softly. "Rough night?"

"Teething..." Peyton whispered.

Lucas made a face, "That's bad right?"

"Right," the blonde explained. 

"Hello all," Brooke said pulling Nathan down next to her. 

He looked really uncomfortable to Lucas. The older Scott gave him a brief nod. "Hey man...y'all coming over to the cafŽ before the formal?"

Nathan's eyes went big...Brooke sat there nodding her head a bit. Nate took her lead and said, "Yah...sure... What time?"

"Peyton?" Hailey asked.

"What? Why am I part of this discussion? Jake and I are going to hang at his place tonight," the blonde questioned.

Lucas chuckled, "Ah...no...You and Jake said you would come have dinner with us...Remember nice and special...We're shutting down the cafŽ for the night. Any of this ringing any bells?"

From under the book Jake mumbled, "Free food, remember?"

"Right...um...The dance starts at 8 so dinner at 6:30?" 

"Okay, 6:30 at Karen's cafŽ. We'll be there," Nate responded. 

Hailey swallowed slightly uncomfortably. She hated being with Nathan these days. He just stared at her with his heart on his sleeve and all she could do was ignore it. Nathan's tutoring sessions were very stressed because she was there as his supposed friend and he was there as the ex-boyfriend still desperately in love. Earlier that same week Nathan had done well on an English assignment...well enough that she gave him a 'good job' hug only to find he was reticent to let her go. Since then they hadn't spoken.

Brooke broke the lull in conversation by smirking at Peyton, "So how's playing mommy these days?"

"I am still awake Brooke," Jake fussed. 

She chuckled, "Come on...lighten up. What's going to be on tap tonight?"

Peyton shrugged hadn't really decided on anything in particular. "I figured you and Hailey could come over to get your selves ready at my place and we could all go over to the cafŽ together."

"I'm up for it. Hailey?" 

Tutor girl looked up quickly, "Yah...sure...no problem. Girl bonding and all."

Lucas chuckled and kissed her temple. "Lunch is almost up...Come on sweets. I'll walk you to class."

With that everyone started to move around to get going. Hailey could still feel Nathan staring at her. She quickly wrapped her arms around Lucas's waist. She started to feel better when the blonde wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 

"He'll get over it," Lucas whispered.

Hailey just nodded a little and stared straight ahead. This was going to be an awesome night with her boyfriend. Nathan Scott was not going to screw that up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peyton watched as Hailey and Brooke primped getting ready for the evening. She and Jake had decided to get a little dressed up since it was their first official date even though they spent every day since the night he had stopped by her house together. 

The way Jake saw it when pictures were taken of the group they wouldn't look completely out of place. Peyton had to agree and enjoyed dressing up for her new boyfriend. And the idea of seeing Jake dressed up for her was kinda cool.

Brooke touched up her lipstick before standing up right. She had opted for a less risquŽ dress for the evening. In her mind she knew that she really didn't want to go back to just being a bimbo. "So...how do I look?" she said murmured flitting her hair. 

Haley looked over and whistled, "Looking good." In the dress that really started her relationship with Lucas was beautiful on her.

"Yeah Brooke you look hot," Peyton teased laying on her bed in a lilac silk skirt and matching top.

"Hey...not all of us have boyfriends and have to still rely on our beauty," Brooke observed.

Peyton shook her head, "I just got lucky..."

"Yeah and I grew up with mine," Hailey chimed in. 

Peyton shrugged "Besides, you and Nathan are really getting along so just go have fun. Maybe you'll meet your prince at the ball."

"Yeah, maybe a handsome Carolina basketball player will be there," Hailey offered putting on her earrings. 

"Okay, okay...lets hit it," Brooke stated simply gathering her belongings. . 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mom...thanks for doing this," Lucas said kissing Karen's brow. 

"No problem sweets... Oh Deb wants to come by if possible to take some pictures?"

Lucas shrugged, "That's fine with me. I would think Nathan is really the one to ask." 

"Hello," Jake called carrying Jenny in her carrier. "I know this isn't ideal but is that crib you mentioned still up for use?"

Karen smiled, "Yeah sure...Lucas go get it for him while I check the food."

"Be right back," Luke called.

"She's beautiful ya know?" Karen said from the pot she was stirring.

"Thanks," Jake said with a half smile.

Karen looked on thoughtfully, "If you don't mind me asking...what? I mean her mother?"

Jake sighed, "We agreed to have the baby...but then her mother didn't want her but was too far along." He shrugged, "She said she would put Jenny up for adoption. I talked to my parents and we agreed to take her. After Jenny was born her mother took off. Jenny's always been with us; she's never known her mother."

Karen nodded, "I understand...Dan wouldn't even acknowledge Lucas...still won't." 

"Here we go," Lucas said bringing in the crib. The blond basketball player scooped the little girl up in his arms. "You ready to lie down little one." She cooed at him. "You are going to break hearts."

"I keep telling him that but he won't believe me," Peyton informed Lucas as the girls came in the door. 

"Hey all," Brooke called. 

Lucas set Jenny in the crib then turned kissing Hailey's lips lightly. Jake went to Peyton and took her hand before giving her temple a kiss. 

Brooke rolled her eyes, "So where is my date? He didn't stand me up did he?"

"No Brooke," Nathan called from behind her. Everyone turned to see Nathan in a black suit and his mother at his side. "She was unable to find the camera."

"Sorry Brooke," Deb apologized. "I just wanted to document the event."

"Of course. Who wouldn't want to see me?" the brunette joked. Everyone chuckled amiably. 

Nathan caught Hailey's gaze and held it longingly before seeing the discomfort in her eyes. Hailey turned toward Lucas away from the loving eyes of the dark haired boy. 

Lucas put his arm around Hailey and looked at Nathan sympathetically who promptly dropped his gaze. The older brother sighed, "Come on; lets eat. We have a dance to get to." It was going to be a long night for everyone. 

Tbc...

A/N: Couple more chapters. I'll try to get them to you quicker. 

REVIEW PLEASE!


	24. Too Close

Title: Too close

Author: Joy

Email: Julianna@ziplip.com 

Rating: PG-13

A/N: I hope the length makes up for how long it took me to post. 

24.

Jake watched Peyton sleeping in his lap. Her head was nestled on a throw pillow while he stroked her hair. Jake was very thankful Peyton didn't want to go to the dance. Dinner was more than tense by the end. Haley was glued to Lucas like her life depended on it. Nate made things worse by trying to apologize for making her feel uncomfortable while Lucas and Brooke could only look on sympathetically. 

Everything had been fine until the pictures. Those stupid pictures. Karen and Deb had been the dutiful mom's taking different shots. At first it was fine. Each couple was pictured individually. Even Nathan and Brooke had looked good together hamming it up for the camera. They really were very well suited for each other since they both were made far more for public than private. 

When the group shots came Haley and Lucas had stood in the middle and then Nathan & Brooke took one side while he & Peyton had the other. Deb had some thing about symmetry and balance going in her mind so they stood boy girl alternating. In the end the order was Jake, Peyton, and Lucas facing into Haley, Nathan then Brooke. 

No one noticed at first that Haley was not handling have the six foot tall basketball player at her back...that is until she lost her balance a bit. Nathan caught her with his right hand and rubbed her arm a bit. "You okay," Nathan asked and Haley lost it.

No one is really clear as to what Haley thought was happening but a flashback hit full force and she coward from Nate like a kicked dog. Lucas led Haley away while everyone else stood there in shock...Nate with tears in his eyes. 

Jake sighed. He did not relish being either of the Scott brothers tonight.

"Thinking?" Peyton asked in a sleepy voice.

"Yeah," Jake responded. "What do you think Haley saw?" he asked aloud. 

Peyton did not pretend not to know what he was talking about. "There was a period of time when Nathan was pretty verbally abusive to her. At the time I think it upset her and made her sad but I would imagine as a memory it would be scary to have a guy that size screaming at you."

Jake nodded his head and kissed her forehead, "Have I told you recently how glad I am you're here...with me."

Peyton smiled, "You just did...But it's always nice to hear."

Jake grinned and gently pulled Peyton to a sitting position next to him. "I am very grateful for the opportunity to have you with me." Then he leaned in and gave her a short kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We don't have to go Haley," Lucas insisted as they continued to sit in his mother's car in the parking lot. "We can go home and rent a movie..."

Haley shook her head; "I do not want him to have this much power over me."

"What power? He was trying to be nice," Lucas responded. Haley looked at him hurt. "I'm sorry okay. I'm sorry. I didn't see what you saw in your head...I saw you loose your balance and him steady you. I saw him try to help," he confessed. 

"So I'm crazy?" Haley growled.

"No...Its just you're acting like he did something awful today when he didn't."

Haley grit her teeth. "Ya know what I saw," she said angrily. "I saw Nathan grab my arm and pin me against him while he yelled at me about nothing at all. I was scared of him. I can remember that. All I wanted at that moment was to be as far away from him as possible because I knew he was going to hurt me... And look...he did."

Lucas sighed, "Okay...You're right. He was scum. That is why you broke up with him. I never knew he really scared you. I'm sorry about that. But now we have to make a choice. We either get out of the car and eventually face him tonight OR we go home... or we could rain on Peyton and Jake's alone time."

Haley smiled at that. "Maybe later. Right now I want to go in and dance real close to my boyfriend."

"Sounds good to me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brooke found her date sitting glumly at the table she had left her wrap on. "What's up Nathan? This is a dance you should...ya know...dance," she observed.

Nathan sat ripping up a paper napkin slowly. "I don't want to dance."

"Yes, you do...Come dance with me," she nodded her head towards the dance floor.

The younger Scott stopped his ripping to look up at Brooke. It wasn't her fault that he had been a jerk and at inopportune time Haley remembered one of those times. He nodded, "Okay."

Brooke led him by the hand to the floor where a slow song had come on. As Nate wrapped his arms around her Brooke casually said, "Do you want to talk about it or do you want to be distracted?"

Nathan smirked, "Distracted for now."

"Okay... You asked for it," she said coyly before dropping a light kiss on his lips.

"What was that?" he asked with no anger just confusion.

"A distraction," she answered and pulled him close while they danced.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucas had his hand in the small of Haley's back as he led her to a mainly unoccupied table with shredded napkins and a wrap on it. "Lets not sit here," Haley whispered.

"Why?" 

"Nathan is sitting here."

Lucas stared confused at the table, "How do you know that?"

She pointed at the pile of ripped napkins, "Nervous habit."

Luke paused, "Maybe would should sit here. Not let him have that much power over you...remember?"

Haley looked angry for a moment, then determined. "You are absolutely right. Lets dance."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nathan had gotten into the swing of things by the time the next slow song came on. He found Brooke who actually seemed okay with being his partner again despite the pack of horny males that seemed to think she would sleep with them by nature of who she was. 

"Thanks for the rescue," Brooke commented. "Rumor of my new 'No drinking and sleeping with a random guy' policy had not seemed to spread."

"The guys can always dream, right?" he offered back.

"Well look at this. You seemed to actually be having a good time," Brooke stated. 

Nathan pursed his lips before saying, "As long as I don't think about Haley, I'm fine."

"Now do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Do I get rewarded with a distraction if I do?" he teased.

"If you like," Brooke commented. "Now talk to me. I know you don't feel like you can talk to anyone about this."

"Lucas."

"What?"

Nathan shrugged, "I talk to Lucas about this."

"Wow...I had no idea. Is he okay with that?" Brooke questioned. 

"He seems to be."

The song ended and Brooke motioned them to the table so they could continue to talk. Nathan continued, "I think he's taking this big brother thing to heart... I guess Lucas is just one of those people that has a good enough heart that he would listen to guy who put him through hell. I know now why she would choose him over me."

Brooke picked up his hand and held it, "Nathan, the biggest thing Haley gave you was the opportunity to break the mold you were in. That's what Lucas did for me... What you have to acknowledge is they are really good together. They may have only gotten together recently but they have been best friends forever. Its hard to compete with that kind of love and commitment."

Nathan squeezed Brooke's hand, "So maybe its time to stop trying to."

"He got it in one," she said. "Give her some space. Let her re-initiate things between you. You're just going to keep scaring her otherwise."

"You're right...I've just never been real good at patience."

"Patience is a virtue," Brooke commented in a too sweet voice. 

"Just not one of mine," Nate joked back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucas turned to Haley, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"You'll be near by?" she asked.

"Very."

"Then yes... I need to do this," Haley answered.

The couple made their way to the table Brooke and Nathan were sitting at. "Hey," Lucas said quietly. He looked at his brother then Haley who gave him a slight nod. "Brooke, come dance with me?" She shot him an 'Are you crazy?' look. "Come on," he nudged.

Brooke looked at Nathan who just nodded at her. "Okay. Lets dance Scott," she said and walked with Lucas to the edge of the floor.

Haley's eyes were trained on Nathan, who was obviously nervous and uncomfortable. She felt she still had the advantage and dove into the conversation she had been avoiding. "We really need to talk about this Nathan," Haley said simply.

"Okay...um...what really needs to be said?" he asked. "You're with Lucas and it's going to stay that way. I know that."

"Do you?" Haley asked forcefully. "Cause if you and I are going to continue to work together you are going to have to stop looking at me like I am crushing your spirit."

Nathan got ticked, "What do you want me to do Haley? I love you. You love Lucas and not me. I can't just stop loving you."

Haley breathed deeply, "I'm not asking you to. I am just asking that if we're going to do the friend thing then you have to stop looking at me like your girlfriend."

"I don't know how," he ground out. 

"Then figure it out or get a new tutor. Those are your choices," she snipped back.

Nathan stared at his hands in his lap. 

Haley shook her head, "I'm trying here. Despite the flashbacks and the overwhelming sense of impending doom whenever you're around. But I am trying. The least you could do is think of the Haley you used to date and try to do what's best for her."

Nathan stared in shock. Lucas had never mentioned this. "You don't see yourself as the same person as you were before the accident?" he asked bewildered.

"What accident?" she snapped at him. "You were angry and threw a rock as hard as you could at me through a pain glass window. There is no accident in that. And I'm sorry but Lucas can't even convince me otherwise."

Nathan looked defeated. 

Haley continued, "And as for seeing myself as a different person...yeah I do. That girl that you dated put up with pain and abuse because she loved you. She tried to save you from yourself. I don't love you and I really don't care if you self-destruct...But that would hurt Lucas and I don't want that. So I am here trying to make a middle ground with you."

"So...you really don't think of yourself as the same person?" Nathan asked again.

"What part of yes don't you understand? You are smarter than this!"

He grit his teeth. "So you would rather completely eliminate me from your mind than reintegrate yourself?"

"Wow...what an ego?" Haley said a rubbed her temple. The action was synonymous with frustration since the accident. 

"I don't actually feel like the same person Nathan. I woke up and I was angry. I have always been a person that was pretty peaceful, so waking up every morning and not feeling that peace...not feeling that joy... I know I'm not the same person. My mother even says that I am different. The doctors say it has something to do with how I hit my head and the area in my brain that got damaged and yada yada yada. The point is even if I for some unknown reason would get back together with you, I'm not the Haley you love anymore. I won't put up with the crap I saw you put her through."

"So she's gone. That part of you that believed in me is gone," he clarified. 

"I hate to break this to you, but she gave up on you when you broke up. She finally saw that you weren't going to change."

"But I have," he argued. 

"Yeah...but in a lot of ways she had to die for you to."

The words hung in the air like a bad aftertaste. 

Haley recognized the fact that she was hurting him badly so she said, "Look, I can see you've changed. But I know that wouldn't have happened unless I was hurt. So it makes it easier to accept the fact I very well might have Swiss cheese for a brain for a while."

"But it was only a few months," Nathan offered.

She shook her head, "Those are the few months I lost everything, but I've lost other chunks too. Even when I look at pictures of things that happened last year... stuff there is no reason for me to forget... it's gone. Then a few days later the memories will come back but another chunk will be missing."

"I didn't know," he whispered.

"I know," she answered. "We didn't want to make you feel worse... None of my other friends know so you should feel special," Haley tried to joke.

Nathan thought a moment, "Did you just include me as one of your friends?"

She smirked, "Caught that did you?" 

Haley sat down next to him. "We can be friends. We can get along. You just have to accept our relationship as it is now. You'll also have to accept that occasionally I might get freaked and have a flashback. They should lessen in time. In fact everything should get better with time, but for now this is it."

"I'll try," he said.

"Do or do not. There is no try," Haley said. "I felt Yoda was appropriate there. Just don't ask me to do the voice."

Haley found Lucas's worried face in the mass of bodies on the dance floor. She smiled and nodded to him. Lucas nodded her to the floor. She pointed at Nathan. Brooke nodded to her, so Haley nodded back. "Come on Nathan. Our dates are calling." 

They moved to the dance floor to find their other halves for the evening. Haley said over her shoulder. "Ya gonna save me a dance?"

Nathan smiled, "Sure Haley. What ever you want."

Lucas wrapped his arms around his girl. "How'd it go?"

"Good. The whole 'I'm a different person now' thing worked really well," she said quietly.

"You think he believes you?" Luke asked.

"I hope so or I don't see us making this work as friends." 

Lucas nodded and kissed her head while they danced close together. 

Tbc...

A/N: Okay kids. Next chapter is the end. No tears please. So that you know I intend to make it my normal happy ending so be prepared. I like to tie up loose ends that don't even seem that loose.

REVIEW PLEASE.


End file.
